Chicago Politics

81 Club Austin Branch 4.7.26

Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the 81 Club Austin Branch.

Transcript

7:57 Welcome to the 29th Ward, everyone, and what a great, great occasion to be here today. Let me welcome each one of you. Mayor Johnson, who is a staple in this community and a resident of this community as well. I used to watch this show a long time ago. It was called America's Got Talent or something like that,

8:29 where if you did well and your performance was one that was somewhat extraordinary, they gave you what they called a golden ticket. And the confetti would fall from the ceiling, but you knew that you did well enough to go to the next round without interruption. And that's how I view the 81 Club. It provides a golden ticket, a golden ticket to the students in this community and throughout the city to get to that next level of their education, to open up their minds to dreams

9:03 that some of them may not even realize that's in their path. And so I want to thank each one of you, the Chicago Public Library, Chicago Public School, Mayor Johnson, for making sure that these resources are available to our students. These resources are available to our parents. In essence, they have a golden ticket to their future. It gives me great pleasure to introduce our next speaker, Chicago Public Library Board President, Ms. Linda Johnson-Rice.

9:41 Linda Johnson-Rice Well, good afternoon, everybody. And that's right, that's right, that's good. Thank you so much for those wonderful words, Alderman. I tell you, he's taken sort of the wind out of my sails. But I am so glad to be here and to represent the Chicago Public Library. library board and to work with the Chicago Public Schools we this has been the longest train running trying to bring this all together but the 81 Club is here and so now every student in the Chicago Public Schools will be able to

10:16 enter the library use the libraries have a library card and I think we need to really give a round of applause to the students to the youth that we have here it's it's it's so exciting and um and we expect to see you in our libraries and utilizing our our libraries it's it's so funny my my daughter who is 30 years old um uses the library all the

10:52 time and she's always running out and she goes well you know i have to return my books i said you bet you do because you're not giving me a black eye on this one but it it really has been And it's been a long time getting this together, but it is so exciting. And I really have to say, as I thank all the youth and want to encourage you to use the libraries. And without further ado, I am going to turn it over to the leader of our great city of Chicago and such a champion for all of our youth, our mayor, Brandon Johnson.

11:36 Wow, thank you so much. Thank you to Linda Johnson-Rice for your leadership. Thank you to Alderman, my Alderman of the 29th Ward, Chris Taliafaro. Thank you for Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, the chair of our Education, Youth and Education Committee, City Council. It is great to be here with you all. What is going on, Austin, West Side of Chicago? You know, this is an exciting time for the city of Chicago as we work to continue to invest in our young people.

12:12 And we have people who are incredible partners for this great journey to build the safest, most affordable big city in America. Thank you. You're going to hear from our Library Commissioner, Chris Brown, is here. Our CEO or Superintendent for Public Schools is not here today, but Karime is here to represent her. And, of course, you've already heard from Linda Johnson-Rice and Chicago Public Library Foundation Board Chair, Mr. Michael Fasnott. And to everyone who made it possible today, we have our board president of Chicago Public Schools, Sean Harden is here, Commissioner Green.

12:46 And we have all the cool Kenya Mayor who lives over here. She was able to work from home from a little bit. I started my day on the west side, drove to the south side to come back. Now I'm like, I should just end my day right here in my own community. You know, we could just head over to Byler Elementary, have lunch and have recess, have a good time. But, you know, as mayor of Chicago, as a father, as a former public school teacher, I know how important it is to give our young people opportunities and access.

13:17 And here in Chicago, we're working to do just that, by ensuring that our young people have access to learning, new and exciting opportunities, and safe spaces that support their growth. That is why I'm so excited that the 81 Club is expanding to reach more students around the entire city. See, on the west side of Chicago, we know how to share. So with this expansion, every student, no matter their zip code, school enrollment, or their age,

13:48 they'll have access to library cards and programs and resources that make their lives more enriched. And the services that are available at our libraries are just second to none, and we're making that available across the city. And this means that students will be able to learn and get their help with their homework, and they can do it in safe and quiet spaces, accessing books and digital resources, and enjoying cultural events as well. You know, if you don't know what it's like to grow up in a household where you don't always have the ends that meet, you may not be able to appreciate having quiet spaces.

14:23 You know, Jeanette and I, we can attest to this. We come from large families. We didn't have quiet spaces growing up. And if it were not for the library, it would have been very difficult for us to be able to achieve our academic goals. But more importantly, this is really strengthening the systems that support literacy and lifelong learning for our students. This announcement comes as the city of Chicago issues a proclamation today in celebration of National Black Bookstore Day.

15:00 You know, we are honoring the legacy of black bookstores and the vital role that they play in fostering literacy, celebrating culture, and strengthening our communities. Today is not just about getting students and their families into libraries, but it's also about investing in our young people. It's about closing gaps and expanding opportunities across all of our 77 neighborhoods. Because when we invest in young people, we are creating stronger communities, a safer, more connected city, And a future where our young people can have access, but most importantly, they can thrive.

15:32 So this is a very exciting day for our Chicago Public Libraries, our Chicago Public Schools, and all of our students. And so, you know, as someone who's raised three children and have an 11-year-old, a 13-year-old, an 18-year-old, and I remember this real cultural phenomenon that I would have to listen to and get, I guess, somewhat a better understanding into the psyche of young people and raising a family. And this cultural phenomenon, his name was Arthur. And I think it was Arthur that said specifically that having fun isn't hard when you have a library card.

16:10 Y'all remember that episode? And you know this, Alderman Tyler Farrow, when you become a parent, you lose access to your television. So thank you for all of the hard work. is very proud of Chicago Public Libraries and CPS and, as Linda said, alignment with all of our government entities. The full force of government is on display. And so to all the young people that are here today, I'm going to stop boring you the way I bored my students when I was a public school teacher over here.

16:41 But I want you and your fellow classmates to take full advantage of all that the 81 Club and the Chicago Public Library has to offer. Thank you all. You all are being raised in the greatest city in the world, the city of Chicago. Thank you. So with that, I had to give the PG version of my axiom of the city. You all help us celebrate our commissioner of the public libraries, Mr. Chris Brown.

17:16 Thank you, Mayor. And can we also give it up for our Austin Library team and Roy Kinsey and the manager here? Thank you for all that you do. We'll try to not be too long. I know we've got kids waiting for stuff. I just wanted to start off with just a little bit of a paraphrase from Chicago author and playwright, Jane Nicole Brooks, who once described her first visit to a Chicago public library, saying that as a child at eight or nine years old,

17:47 she went to the Hall branch, she walked inside, and it was this large space, all the books were there, it was beautiful, and that she thought to herself, this was her way in, her passion and that she asked the librarian to pull all the books to help her become a playwright to essentially become a storyteller and that's what today is all about today is about what we're telling our kids our teens and our families that in Chicago across all of our neighborhoods in your neighborhood

18:18 every child and young person there's a place that you can go and that our libraries are our most accessible out of school time learning places in the city without cost or barrier thanks to our library board we removed all late fees so you all get a free pass and so we're telling every chicago public school student that you are now part of the 81 club name for 81 81 libraries this is your chicago public library account and thanks to this

18:51 landmark data share this is a landmark because it's taken us over 10 years to get here thank you mayor your student ID is now your library card so you didn't have to remember to me you don't have to remember another number which we all know how convenient that is and so here's what that access makes possible it means free online tutoring with a live tutor for all of you for all three hundred twenty thousand CPS students all at home or in our libraries it means it

19:28 It means live, in-person tutoring with a teacher in the library through the support of our Chicago Public Library Foundation. Let's give it up for them. And our Umedia spaces that connect kids with creative, just art-making experiences all across our city. I want to thank our library board, Linda Johnson-Rice and our president, who made the bold decision again to become the first big city to go find free.

20:00 I want to thank our 81 Club working group. Where's Rachel Everson? She's somewhere. Oh, they're in the back. Leading that group, I want to thank Julie Kozlowski, Lindsay Lahren, Mary Ellen Messner, all the leaders who have been shepherding this project along for over a decade. If any of you have been involved in the 81 Club, our CPL staff, can you raise your hands just to see how many people this took? They're all very modest and librarians there in the back, but they made it happen.

20:34 I also want to thank our neighborhood library staff who bring our libraries to life every day of the week. I want to thank our foundation and donors who amplify our efforts, who bring programs like the beloved summer at CPL, our summer reading program, into Chicago. And I want to thank our CPS partners, Kara Thorstensen, the digital learning and libraries team. Kara, there you are. thank you I want to thank the whole CPS team especially Macklin King I know

21:08 she's not able to be here but she texted me and said she had an emergency root canal and she was like I am so sorry that I couldn't be here because we've been working at this for forever so I know she is deeply committed I also want to just again call out the mayor for getting this data share done over 10 years that it took to make this happen and we kept hitting a roadblock after roadblock after roadblock and it was thanks to our mayor his team corp council Adam Walker from law Nick Lucius our DTI commissioner all these folks

21:43 coming together to remove this roadblock thank you Adam I really probably annoyed that annoyed the heck out of you guys so thank you but thank you all for making this incredible day happen I want to also thank the equity Office, Lear Griffin, Carla Coupe, our Chief Equity Officer, who made sure that the 81 Club was part of our commitment to a more equitable Chicago. I want to thank our partner in crime, Commissioner Tina Merritt, and the DK's team, who I know

22:17 we have some things slated to get more art on the library cards, more artists in Chicago engaged, and inspiring all of our kids. So thank you in advance for all that you do. And lastly, I want to thank all of our partners who bring resources into our libraries. So that's the Art Institute bringing artist corners into every neighborhood library during our summer reading program. That's the Junior League of Chicago bringing story times into every neighborhood library.

22:47 Sid, stay, read, who bring those adorable puppies and just get our kids engaged. They do an amazing job, and Greater Chicago Food Depository, who have served close to 200,000 meals in our neighborhood libraries. All these people come together to do amazing things. I forgot Open Books. See, so many partners. Open Books bring authors into our libraries. Thank you all. The Park District, they bring field trips into our libraries over the summer.

23:19 and we're not stopping at access now that you all have your your library cards because we know that the next step is investing in literacy we know that early language exposure matters that the most powerful learning happens in relationship between parents and caregivers in our story times and that kindergarten readiness is at its core about about children arriving to school ready to learn and ready to read we know that access to books is one of the most

23:51 strongest predictors of whether a child becomes a reader and that libraries are one of the most effective ways to deliver that access and scale CPL has the building blocks to do this work through story time developmental play and we're so thrilled that we could be in partnership with CPS to continue to evolve our approach to literacy to get every child prepared to learn readings and succeed together with our schools for those kids that are sitting there and who who you all are going to become so thank you so much and now it's my pleasure to introduce Dr. Karimi Ossoff

24:28 of Chicago Public Schools thank you Commissioner Brown and good afternoon everyone I am here on behalf of our CEO Superintendent Dr. King so I have to make sure that every word gets in It is wonderful to be here in this beautiful Austin Library. I want to begin by thanking

25:00 Mayor Johnson for his leadership. I also want to recognize our partners from both the Chicago Public Library and the Chicago Public Library Foundation. I want to recognize some big names inside CPS, Dr. Lewis, our Chief of Teaching and Learning, and Dr. Fleming, the Queen of Literacy. Your support of Chicago Public Schools and what we do to support students is invaluable.

25:30 Our vision at CPS is that every neighborhood in Chicago has the resources students need to thrive. This starts with strong neighborhood schools, but it doesn't end there. Our children also need access to library branches like this one. Spaces brimming with light, resources, all to assist them at school and at home. Through the 81 Club, students can leverage many online digital resources, opening up a greater field of resources and tools.

26:10 Homework support is available in person at branches through the teacher in the library program. That is amazing. as well as through the library's homework help digital subscription that CPS students can now access using their 81 Club accounts. This partnership ties in perfectly with our district's approach to literacy, including connecting students with an abundance of engaging, culturally responsive texts.

26:43 We know that helping our children become capable readers is an important part of ensuring they become, as Mayor Johnson said, lifelong learners. But just as our world has evolved, literacy must evolve as well. That's why CPS is committed to helping our students learn to read and communicate in modern digital environments. The access and resources provided by the 81 Club will help this goal become a reality.

27:22 To all of the students here today, Dr. King and I and all the CPS staff want to encourage you to take full advantage of your 81 Club account. We want to encourage you to think of libraries as an extension of your school and your home. They are both places to read and learn, but that's not all. They're also spaces to socialize, build relationships, make friends, and have a lot of fun.

27:56 My wish for each of you is that you will use the 81 Club to find a book, or hopefully many books. some of them that you will absolutely not be able to put down. Thank you again to everyone who helped this decade-long endeavor make a reality, be a reality. And now I'll turn it over to Janet Taylor, Education Committee Chair and 20th Ward Alder Person, to say a few words.

28:37 Good morning. How y'all doing? Oh, it is afternoon. See, my mind is not connected before 12 o'clock, so the head is not connected to the body. It's a whole thing. When you're over 50, that's kind of what's going on. So good morning. I'm Alderman Taylor. I am the chair of the Education Committee, but I also represent the South Side now. Let's not do this thing about the South and West Side. Let's not do that this morning, Mayor Johnson, Alderman Tyler Farrow. And so, to the young people in our community, having access to books is one of the most amazing things you can have.

29:13 How many people remember when they used to have those books ate for a dollar, but they was really $49.95? Who remember that? I do. Because I remember when my mama got the bill, she was like, it said eight books for a dollar. That's what it said. And so, I'm going to read an insert from my favorite book, and I want to see if the young people, not y'all, So the young people can tell what book I'm reading from. I can't see Widow without these glasses, so give me a moment. Could you, would you with a goat?

29:43 I would not, could not with a goat. Would you on a boat? I could not, would not on a boat. I will not, will not with a goat. I will not eat them in the rain. I will not eat them in the dark. I will not eat them in the tree. I will not. I eat them in the park. Why don't you just let me be? I could not, would not anywhere. I would not eat them in a fox. I would not eat them in the house. I would not eat them with the mouse. I will not eat them here or there. I will not eat them anywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam. I am. What book is that?

30:22 that's right that's right see I knew y'all would see they all get it but I knew that you all would get it and so we know that libraries are a safe space in our community they're amazing places to learn they're spaces of information and education and so enjoy this library enjoy the 81 Club when I first heard 81 Club I'm like I don't know nobody that's 81 so I ain't really sure and when I'm at the 81 Club I get it now I'm really doing so as an adult just imagine I'm like the mayor got me coming to something

30:55 I ain't supposed to be at but it's okay but it is okay and so to my young people there I hope you all had an amazing spring break summer is coming up use your library as a space to learn I used to go as a young person to love and sit and hear the librarians read to me and I thought it was so exciting and you could also be one of those young people you know how you buy something and you see it, and you go, I'm not going to read the instructions. Read the instructions. Read them. You know how many things I broke and tore up because I didn't read the instructions?

31:26 And so know that reading is so important. I know we got tablets. I know we have access to the Internet. I know we got Siri and all those other people. But reading is fundamental, and reading opens up the world for you. Thank you all. So it is my pleasure to give it to one of my co-workers, Kinga Mary from DK's. Good afternoon everybody. It is a pleasure to be here as the mayor to say that I did work from home today because I only live half a mile from this branch. So many memories coming here as a high schooler to check out books to do research projects. So it feels a little bit like a full circle moment. So thank you Chris for your partnership with the library and thank you mayor for entrusting me to do this work.

32:20 To be surrounded by so many amazing young people today, our education, our educators, our partners who are committed to expanding opportunity across our city truly means a lot to me. Again, I want to start by thanking Chris Brown and all of our friends at the Chicago Public Library, our friends at the Chicago Public Schools for bringing us together for this impactful initiative. This partnership offers access to books, but most importantly to ideas, to creativity, and to seeing yourself in it all.

32:56 At D-Case, our role is rooted in ensuring culture, creativity, as well as opportunity are visible and that is accessible in every single neighborhood across our great city. And this partnership, this is what it looks like in action. When young people have access, not just to books, but to stories, to art, and to creative expression, it opens the door for them. It helps them to imagine what's possible for themselves, for their family members.

33:27 But most importantly, it helps students envision their future that's full of opportunity. And so I'm so excited to partner with CPL about how we're going to bring and incorporate local artists into this work. We know that artists offer inspiration for students seeing creativity on display from someone from their same neighborhood as themselves. And so we're going to be partnering on limited edition 81 club cards.

33:58 These cards won't just be library cards. They will be reflections of Chicago. They're going to be designed by artists from our neighborhoods who are people that understand our stories, that understand our culture, that understand our community. And what's really powerful about this collaboration is that it's going to reach every single CPS student. That's how we make equity real. It's not something that we just talk about, but it's something that we experience. It's something that we do.

34:29 And so I'm super proud that D-Case gets to play a small role, thank you for that Chris and the team, with bringing this creative community into this process and I'm even more excited about what this will spark for our young people, for our artists, as well as the future of Chicago. And so with that thank you again, I'd like to bring up my former partner in crime, Chicago Public Library Foundation Board Chair Michael Fasnacht.

35:03 Good afternoon. As the new board chair of the Chicago Public Foundation, I'm really honored to be here to celebrate this special occasion. I think the second reason I'm here today, an occasion like today needs someone with an accent to make this a global event. And for the students, part of learning is as well to understand someone like me, or at least pretend to understand. I would like to as well recognize our foundation's interim CEO and former bachelor Bob Winslow, who has worked over the last 10 years on this initiative.

35:39 Today we're really proud, together, to mark an important milestone, the launch of the 81 Club initiative that represents a signal of hope for our great young people in the city. For more than 40 years, the Chicago Library Foundation has believed in the power of libraries as a vital hub of access, learning, and opportunity for every Chicaguan, no matter their age, background, or circumstances. Over these four decades, we have been dedicated a philanthropic partner to the library and the system, bringing together individuals, companies, and foundations to support students' success both in and out of school.

36:22 From teachers in the library program, provide academic support every single day in all the branches, to the innovative media model that empower teens to explore creativity, technology, and leadership. our focus has always been on expanding opportunity. At the heart of our work, it's a very simple goal, to remove barriers, ensure that every young Chicagoan can fully access the resources and programs our libraries offer.

36:53 The mission continues to guide us today. We could not be more proud to deepen and expand this support. If we all want a city, and I know we want, that is truly inclusive, thriving, and full of opportunity in every neighborhood. We must continue to invest in all our libraries. We all know too well that talent is equally distributed across this large city in every single neighborhood, but opportunities access is not.

37:25 The foundation is proud to stand alongside the mayor, the leadership, Commissioner Chris Brown and his team and CPS and his leadership and all those who make the Chicago Public Library system such an extraordinary resource for our city. Today is a great and hopeful day for Chicago's youth. Thank you. And now the students are coming up. Austin College and Career Academy.

37:56 Damien Jefferson. You have to see me? You have to see me? I'm short. Thank you, Mike. Thank you for making me up here. Good afternoon to everyone. My name is Damarius Jefferson from Ollie's College Career Academy and I will be attending

38:26 after high school Northern Illinois University. My major would be Financing because I want to be a financial agent or a real estate agent. During my whole time in Austin, I was in a program called Freshman Connection, I'm sorry. And Freshman Connection is a program that helps students be acquainted with Austin and help them become better students as well.

39:00 And I want to tell y'all a story that how I found the 81 Club. One day, I was like really hyped. The librarian, and I was like, I'm doing good. I can't feel cool now. She started telling me about a program called the 81 Club, and she gave me information.

39:36 She was telling me how this would be a great resource for me. And as I was like, damn, basketball, I was wondering, like, what do I want to do with my life as a student? And after I was like, she was telling me, she was like, go around, look for books, see what you would like. And I was talking about financing. and finance You get the money from it. This is how I want to talk about the 81 Club. The 81 Club I use a lot to help me utilize for projects, studying, even just reading the book sometimes. It helps me with my strong interest in finance and money.

40:27 And I told people about it. I told them that, hey, you should come to the website. It's free to learn, and you should use this for studying, research, or even so I'll use to a try. I know sometimes the teacher gives you some strong information you don't know about, and you don't know. This is why you should use this. I encourage every student, no matter age or circumstances, y'all should use any tool y'all have.

41:10 That's why I recommend y'all to use this tool. It will take you through life to help you find your own world, your own state, just like it helped me. I thank y'all so much.

41:54 I'm going to give it back to Brandon. I will say, we're just going to close it out here and take a couple pictures. But I want to say, I believe this is, aren't they just the smart people?

42:44 And that's why this combination of our parks and our schools and libraries are all coming in and building safe and affordable communities. But we can't do this work alone. It's going to take all of us to continue to build on this momentum. It's for the future of our city's family, but there's so much that we have to fight for in our present. To these students, you know, over here, it just motivates us that much harder to ensure that we're doing everything in our power to create as many opportunities for them.

43:16 So thank you to Austin High School. Thank you to Duke. Austin, and we'll take a photo, but there's another web sider, I'm embarrassed, she works for me, but Lyric who is representing Chief Coupe in our equity division as Commissioner Brown indicated, everything that we do it has to be completely the lens of equity, so Lyric

43:46 proud Austinite, say hello, so a math teacher, right it was a school teacher once upon a time, so thank you all, we appreciate it and let's take a good picture. God bless you all. Thank you.

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