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Council Presents Partners for a Better Chicagoland
and Corporate Diversity Awards at
at 28th Annual Awards Dinner

The Chicago Council on Urban Affairs held its 28th Annual Awards Dinner on October 24, 2007 at the Mid-Day Club, 21 South Clark Street, Chicago. The evening began with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner, and the awards program. Veteran media personalities Emilie McKendall and Richard Steele served as co-hosts for the evening.

Media personalities Emilie McKendall and Richard Steels served as co-hosts for the Council’s 2007 Awards Dinner. Following the dinner, they were joined by Redessa Harris, the Council’s public relations consultant, ad Lu Bailey, Council president.

During the dinner celebration, the Council recognized the important contributions of two civic organizations and two corporations that serve Chicago communities and citizens as good partners. The Council honored the South Suburban Disproportionate Minority Contact (SSDMC) Forum on Youth Foundation and the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) Task Force of the Cook County Juvenile Court with the Partners for a Better Chicagoland Award. The Corporate Diversity Awards were presented to Exelon Corporation and UBS for their continued commitment to workforce diversity.

Lu Bailey, president of the Council, welcomed the opportunity to acknowledge civic organizations and corporations that set the standard for excellence in the Chicago area on issues relating to juvenile justice and advances in diversity. “The Council’s annual awards dinner is our opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of organizations and corporations that work daily on improving the social and business environments,” said Bailey.

The Honorable Judge Lori Wolfson (center) accepts the Partners for a Better Chicagoland Award and poses with Craig Gilmore, Council chairman, and Lu Bailey, Council president. Judge Wolfson is lead judge for the Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) Task Force at the Cook County Juvenile Court, recipient of the award.

Led by judicial members, BARJ seeks to define a new relationship between juvenile justice and the community by balancing three primary concerns—holding the youth accountable for their behavior, protecting public safety, and raising the competency of youth to become productive citizens. A key aspect of holding youths accountable for their behavior through BARJ is requiring them to work to repair the harm they have done to both the victims of their crime and the broader community that they have made less safe. The BARJ Task Force is a collaborative effort comprised of a diverse group of representatives of all the offices of the Court supported by the Jane Addams Juvenile Court Foundation. Community feedback is solicited and incorporated in the process to assure that community needs are taken in consideration when formulating programs. In just a few short years, BARJ has developed seven programs to provide support and enrichment for the youth who come under their jurisdiction. The Honorable Judge Lori Wolfson, lead judge for BARJ, accepted the award.

During the Awards Dinner, the South Suburban Disproportionate Minority Contact Forum on Youth Foundation received a Partners for a Better Chicagoland Award. The Honorable Judge Michael Stuttley, presiding judge of the Juvenile Court in the 6th Municipal District located in Markham, Illinois (center), accepted the award from Craig Gilmore, Council chairman, and Lu Bailey, Council president.

The South Suburban Disproportionate Minority Contact (SSDMC) Forum on Youth Foundation was established to self-sustain and promote viable alternatives to incarceration of minority youth within the Cook County South Suburbs, 6th Municipal District. These communities include Chicago Heights, the Village of Riverdale, and the Village of Robbins where a majority of those having contact with the juvenile justice system are African American males. SSDMC demonstrates how a local community can mobilize, highlight, and rectify systemic inequities that harm youth and those who care about them. The organization collects data and uses its findings to make informed recommendations. In addition, SSDMC involves youth by seeking their opinions in focus groups and works with the courts to provide after-school activities and programs for those involved in the system. The Honorable Judge Michael Stuttley, presiding judge of the Juvenile Court in the 6th Municipal District in Matteson, Illinois accepted the award.

Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s largest electric generation and utility companies. It operates the biggest fleet of nuclear power plants in the U.S. and is parent to utilities Commonwealth Edison in northern Illinois and PECO in Pennsylvania. Exelon strives to be a responsible corporate citizen in the communities it serves. The company’s diversity policies are firmly rooted in its fundamental belief that inclusion, respect, and fair treatment contribute to increased productivity. At Exelon, upper management is committed to the concept of diversity and sets the example for the company’s workforce. By focusing on workforce diversity, supplier diversity, civic and social commitment, and education and support, Exelon has developed strategies that reflect the company’s fundamental belief in achieving a world-class operation and maintaining a competitive advantage. Exelon’s business environment is inclusive and respectful of all employees, suppliers, and the diverse communities it serves. The company has won numerous awards for its diversity practices, including the 2007 Black Enterprise magazine’s 40 Best Companies for Diversity and The Corporate 100 list for support of the Hispanic community from Hispanic Magazine. Frank Clark, chairman/CEO of ComEd, represented Exelon, ComEd’s parent company, at the ceremony.

UBS is one of the world’s leading financial firms, serving a discerning international client base and is the leading global wealth manager, a top tier investment banking and securities firm, and one of the largest global asset managers. UBS’s financial businesses employ more than 80,000 people around the world and more than 2,000 people in Chicago. Diversity is one of seven core values at UBS and is at the center of the company’s global success. To further support its diversity initiative, the company has built a firm-wide infrastructure including 10 Regional Diversity Boards. Policies have been established to address fair treatment, professional behavior, maternal/paternal leave, harassment prevention, and integrating diversity into daily management processes such as recruiting and talent development. UBS works to attract and retain employees who bring diverse perspectives to the firm while fostering an innovative, flexible culture where diverse employees can learn from one another. Nancy Johnson, head of Institutional Client Service, managing director at UBS, accepted the award.

Craig Gilmore, chairman of the Council’s Board of Directors and director of Multi-cultural Markets (Great Lakes Zone) at State Farm Insurance Companies, stresses the importance of the work the award recipients provide in their respective fields. “The Council seeks out, recognizes, and honors Chicago area corporations that successfully integrate diversity in the workplace and in their business relationships with consumers and suppliers,” said Gilmore. “Receipt of the Corporate Diversity Award is an impartial validation of the honorees’ best practices in their business culture,” added Gilmore.

Over 500 High School Students Participated in Hip-Hop Workshop at Mose Vines Preparatory Academy on Chicago’s West Side

Over 500 high school students experienced a slice of hip-hop culture during a school assembly held at Mose Vines Preparatory Academy, 730 North Pulaski on Chicago’s west side, on May 21, 2007. Presented by the Chicago Council on Urban Affairs, the Hip-Hop Workshop focused on the history of hip-hop music, compared and contrasted the music’s early messages to current messages, and presented several local rappers, spoken word artists, and break dancers live to demonstrate their art forms. The workshop was the Council’s first collaboration with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

“The Chicago Council on Urban Affairs is pleased to partner with Chicago Public Schools in this series of hip-hop workshops designed to help youth use school-based culture and principles of education to think critically about the influence that hip-hop music and popular culture have on their perception of the importance of education,” said Lu Bailey, president of the Council. Current plans are to present the workshops in 18 high schools by the end of 2008. “The structure of the workshop provides a framework for students to examine if the lyrics and messages presented in present-day hip-hop music promote personal growth and human potential or criminality and self-destruction,” said Bailey.

Many of the students responded with applause and “high-fives” throughout the presentation. Lance Williams, Ph.D., assistant director of the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies at Northeastern Illinois University, has developed a workshop format that uses rap music and videos as tools to focus on the mass media’s influence on adolescent behavior. An instructor in Northeastern’s African American Studies program and an educational consultant, Dr. Williams specializes in the infusion of popular culture into existing curricula, works with high-risk populations, and addresses issues relating to gang prevention, conflict resolution, and behavior modification of youth.

Mentors from various professions, teachers from Mose Vines, several student volunteers, and spoken word artists served as facilitators during the scheduled breakout sessions that allowed for student/mentor discussion, critique, and analysis of images and messages the students see and hear on a daily basis.

Patricia Woodson, principal of Mose Vines since 2005, endorsed the hip-hop workshop concept wholeheartedly. “The workshop is designed to help students analyze and better understand the music and videos they listen to and watch so often. We want them to question some of the lyrics and images they hear and see everyday—not just take them in without any thought to their content,” said Ms. Woodson.

Mose Vines is one of the two “small schools” inside of Rezin Orr High School. Mose Vines offers a multi-faceted curriculum with an accelerated program for advanced learners and a program that meets the needs of students who experience academic challenges. Under Woodson’s guidance, the school has been transformed into a “destination” school—in the community, of the community, and for the community.

The Council created the original hip-hop workshop in 2004 as a part of its Boyz 2 Men Project—A Journey To Manhood. The workshop documented the overwhelming impact the media has on the self-esteem of young boys and men. It also highlighted the need for older men to reach out and mentor boys and young men. The Council’s partnership with the Chicago Public Schools provides an opportunity for girls and young women to participate in this informative discussion of the hip-hop culture and to express their views on the images of females as depicted in popular music and videos.

For information on the Hip-Hop Workshops, please contact the Chicago Council on Urban Affairs at 312-782-3511.

The Chicago Council on Urban Affairs hosted over 100 attendees at a racism dialogue titled “Are You Ready for a New Discussion About Race Relations in America?” Bart Lubow, senior associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, presented the keynote address. Cosponsored by Roosevelt University’s Mansfield Institute for Social Justice and ServiceMaster, the event was held recently at Ganz Hall on the Loop campus of Roosevelt University.

The multi-racial audience was presented with a challenge that focused on bringing more white people into discussions of racism and action needed to advance the case for racial justice. Mr. Lubow pointed out that the number of whites working to address these issues has declined since the 1960s—the heyday of America’s Civil Rights Movement. He stressed that all people should feel a responsibility to discuss race and that there appears to be a backlash against racial discussion in today’s society.

Mr. Lubow presented a series of myths that he says many whites hold about race in America. They include: most whites believe the Civil Rights Movement was successful in leveling the playing field between whites and blacks; most whites think that inequality persists because blacks are not taking advantage of the gains made during the Civil Rights Movement; and most whites think that America is quickly becoming a race blind society. “Unfortunately,” said Mr. Lubow, “many whites who want to discuss race in America are relegated to being stuck in [the mindset of] the 1960s.”

Kevin Richardson, representing event corporate sponsor ServiceMaster, Council President Lu Bailey, and guest speaker Bart Lubow.

Lu Bailey, president of the Council, convened the racism dialogue because the nonprofit organization’s research shows that for the past two decades people of color have been the predominant voices on the issues relating to social justice and civil rights. “Whenever the issues of race, diversity, discrimination, or hate crimes are discussed or featured, you can bet that an African American or more recently a Latino person is lamenting about what steps need to be taken to ‘close the gap,’ ‘create an even playing field,’ or ‘create an inclusive workplace or community.’ The lack of white participation in these dialogues has hampered efforts to promote racial justice,” said Ms. Bailey. “If we want to see real and steady progress in improving race relations and creating true equality, we need the input and voices of all those—especially whites—who advocate for social justice.”

During his discussion, Mr. Lubow cited some startling statistics. African Americans and other minority groups are overrepresented in all aspects of the criminal justice system. African Americans are 16% of the population, yet have 28% of the contacts with the criminal justice system. Thirty percent of all African American males will spend a part of their lives in prison, while one-third of all African American men are currently in the court system. More than 90% of the inmates in Cook County prisons are African Americans or Latinos. And contrary to popular belief, the majority of the detention and incarceration is unrelated to gang or gun activities. Mr. Lubow stated that these statistics should outrage anyone who believes in equality and justice.

With a background steeped in advancing the cause for social justice, Mr. Lubow is a national expert on issues relating to alternatives to incarceration for both adults and youth, designing juvenile justice reform initiatives, and proposing other community justice and safety efforts. He joined the Annie E. Casey Foundation in 1992 and has held progressively responsible positions throughout his tenure.

The Council will continue its discussion of racism and other social justice issues throughout the year in a series of dialogues, workshops, seminars, and public venues designed to inform and educate the residents of Chicago.

The Council Leads Local Efforts to Help Reduce
Disproportionate Minority Contact and Confinement (DMC)

The Council has received a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to lead a local and state-wide effort to raise awareness about the impact of DMC in the juvenile justice system.

Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) exists where the proportion of youth of color at a particular point in the juvenile justice system exceeds the proportion of youth of color in the general population.

Like most states, Illinois struggles with DMC. In its 2005 Annual Report to the Governor and General Assembly, the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission (IJJC) identified DMC as one of the greatest challenges facing the state’s juvenile justice system. The IJJC reports that African American youth represent 18 percent of the state’s youth population, but 57 percent of the youth who are arrested, 41 percent of the youth in locked detention, and 52 percent of the youth in locked state facilities.

Overrepresentation is also an issue for Hispanic/Latino youth who are detained in Illinois at nearly twice the rate of white youth. According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Hispanic/Latino youth in 2003 were committed to the Illinois Department of Corrections at a rate that was 45 percent greater than the rate of white youth. And Hispanic/Latino youth are nearly five times more likely than their white counterparts to be locked up for public order offenses in state facilities.

The MacArthur Foundation has launched a major initiative to address DMC and several other pressing juvenile justice issues. The Models for Change (MFC) initiative is an effort to create successful and replicable models of juvenile justice reform through targeted investments in key states (Illinois, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Washington). MFC seeks to accelerate movement toward a more fair, effective, and developmentally sound juvenile justice system that holds young people accountable for their actions, provides for their rehabilitation, protects them from harm, increases their life chances, and manages the risk they pose to themselves and to the public.

The Chicago Council on Urban Affairs is working with the MFC campaign and a number of local and national advocates to provide public education about DMC, how and where it occurs, and how local organizations and individuals can help reduce DMC in Illinois. We are reaching out to all juvenile justice stakeholders in Illinois and asking them to agree that the reduction of DMC should be a priority issue in Illinois. We’re also requesting that groups and individuals participate in the following activities:

If you have any questions or would like a copy of the recently published DMC brochure, please call 312-782-3511 or send an e-mail to: lubailey@ccua.org.

Chicago Council on Urban Affairs
Hosted Over 450 Boys and Young Men
During the Hip-Hop Generation Workshop at Roosevelt University

A capacity crowd of over 450 boys and young men from 12 to 18 years of age attended the Hip-Hop Generation Workshop sponsored by the Chicago Council on Urban Affairs on May 18, 2006. Held in conjunction with Mansfield Institute for Social Justice at Roosevelt University, the workshop addressed the hip-hop industry’s impact on today’s boys and young men. The youth filled Roosevelt University’s 10th floor library accompanied by chaperones from local schools, churches, and community organizations.

Lance Williams, Ph.D., assistant director of the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies at Northeastern Illinois University, engaged the youth in a dynamic dialogue surrounding the images depicted in hip-hop videos and music. He also provided historical context of the evolution of hip-hop from a once socially conscious, oral art form to its current state of negative images that degrade women and girls while often espousing violence.

Dr. Williams’ presentation incorporated several Chicago-area spoken word artists who joined him on the podium to perform their original poetry. Socially conscious artists like Red Storm, Emerald, and T.J. Crawford challenged the young men to examine their lives and to avoid situations that could lead to imprisonment and drug dealing. They also talked about respect for women and for one’s community. The reaction from the audience was full of applause and nods of agreement. Occasionally, someone jumped up to give a “shout out” to the artists.

According to Lu Bailey, president of the Council, the response from area schools, churches, and youth organizations far exceeded the Council’s projections. “From the moment we sent out announcements, the response was overwhelming. We knew immediately we were offering a topic that our young men wanted to discuss,” said Bailey.

The attendees had the opportunity to work together in breakout groups led by male mentors from various professions. During the sessions, the mentors posed a question and the group members created a spoken word response. This exercise helped the youth to critique and analyze the images they see and hear on a daily basis and challenged them to create their own images. Selected group members shared their groups’ responses with the entire audience.

The young men expressed their appreciation for the workshop experience through the positive responses they listed on their evaluation forms. Many of the attendees wrote that they learned a lot during the workshop and planned to share their information with others. Some also requested that a similar workshop be scheduled at their schools.

Council Board Chair Craig Gilmore, who is also the Director of Urban Markets, Great Lakes Zone, with State Farm Insurance Companies, has been added to State Farm’s Multicultural Business Development Group. He will serve as a senior consultant to the team while continuing to fulfill his current responsibilities with the urban markets division.

As stated in a press release distributed by State Farm, “Craig’s addition to the group will help us to maximize our existing resources as we work to create and drive consistent and profitable growth in these rapidly expanding markets.”

The board, staff, members, and all others associated with the Council congratulate Craig Gilmore on his new promotion and wish him continued success.

Women Make Progress in the Workplace–
But There’s Still Room for Improvement

Last September at the Council’s 2005 Annual Meeting, Council Director and diversity expert Jonamay Lambert, founder and president of Lambert & Associates, discussed career opportunities for women. This discussion was part of a recent survey Lambert & Associates conducted in September 2005 regarding the progress of women over the past 50 years. The was event sponsored by Harris Bank.

For more information about the presentation, please see the article, entitled “Pink-Collar Workers Have Own Barriers to Break,” which appeared in the December 6, 2005 print edition of the Chicago Tribune.

If you would like more information about the Barriers that Women Face Survey findings, please contact Lambert & Associates at 847-428-6650 or lambertassoc@lambert-diversity.com.

The Council and Hull House Association Collaborate
to Document Youth Crime at Public Housing in Chicago

The Chicago Council on Urban Affairs and the Jane Addams Hull House Association have teamed up to survey public housing residents in Le Claire-Hearst, Englewood, Uptown, and Lawndale communities in Chicago.

The Council will use the data to continue its efforts to develop community-based solutions to reduce youth crime and reform the juvenile justice system in Chicago and Illinois. The Hull House Association will use the data to develop programs that help reduce youth crime at its sites.

The Council conducted similar data collection projects in other Chicago neighborhoods, but this will be the first data collection project exclusively with public housing residents.

Recently, the Council released the latest issue of One City magazine, the Council’s urban affairs magazine. The two-part publication focuses on affordable and accessible housing options in Chicago.

The first issue reviews the history of affordable housing in Chicago and includes a feature article, by national housing scholar Professor john powell, about “opportunity-based housing”—a policy practice that locates and links affordable housing close to employment, healthcare, education, transportation, and cultural opportunities. Several cities, including Chicago, are attempting to implement this new housing model.

The Council collaborated with the Leadership Council for Open and Metropolitan Communities on this issue of One City. The Leadership Council is a 37-year-old fair housing advocacy group located in Chicago.

If you would like to order a copy (or copies of One City), please email your request to onecity@ccua.org.

Recently, the Council participated in an informal experiment to document how restaurants treat their customers.

The Council’s president, Lu, is an African American female, and her intern, Maddy, is a very fair-skinned Arab American. They dined at several downtown Chicago restaurants and rated the host team and the wait staff. While the food was tasty, the attitude of the host team and wait staff would make you sick to your stomach.

The majority of the host teams made initial contact with Maddy and one waitress even handed her the bill once lunch was over. The wait staff always served Maddy first and gave her a warm smile when they said, “Please come again.” Only one wait person placed the bill in the middle of the table, careful to avoid embarrassing assumptions about who was paying the bill.

Unfortunately, we can’t list the restaurants Lu and Maddy visited because litigation would probably ensue. But, you can conduct your own experiments and share the results with your friends, colleagues, and the restaurants you visit—all you need is a diverse group of friends.