>>> HELLO THERE AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON CHICAGO TONIGHT .

I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN .

>> AND I AM PARIS SCHUTZ .

WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TOP CITY BUDGET WATCHDOG.

>>> HOW STUDENTS ARE HEARING OF VIOLENCE ON CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH .

>>> IT IS FLAKINESS AND FETING US .

>> MAKING BOTH FISH?

>>> TO NOT UNDERSTAND OUR HISTORY IS TO MISS OUT ON WHAT AMERICA IS TODAY.

>> AND HOW BLACK HISTORY SAVED HIS LIFE.

>>> NOW TO TODAY'S TOP STORIES.

FALLOUT AFTER A SHOOTING IN WILLOWBROOK THAT KILLED ONE AND LEFT AT LEAST 22 OTHERS INJURED .

DUPAGE COUNTY OFFICIALS SAY 33-YEAR-OLD WILLOWBROOK RESIDENT REGINALD MEADOWS WAS KILLED AT A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AT A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT OFF ROUTE 83.

POLICE HAVE NOT ARRESTED ANYONE IN CONNECTION WITH THE SHOOTING.

>>> IF YOU WERE OFF WORK TODAY, THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE RELATIVELY NEW FEDERAL HOLIDAY, JUNETEENTH, MARKING THE DAY IN 1865 WHEN THE LAST ENSLAVED PEOPLE LEARNED THEY WERE FREE .

CHICAGOANS CELEBRATED ACROSS THE CITY , LIKE AT THE BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM.

MAJOR BANKS AND POST OFFICES WERE CLOSED .

>>> THE CITY IS GETTING A $6.8 MILLION GRANT TO BUILD EIGHT NEW MONUMENTS .

MAYOR JOHNSON ANNOUNCED THE GIFT TODAY TO FIND THE NEW MONUMENTS ACROSS THE CITY.

THOSE INCLUDE A CHICAGO TORTURE JUSTICE MEMORIAL AND A SERIES OF MONUMENTS THAT HONOR AMERICAN NATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS.

>>> A MAJOR LEADER IN CHICAGO'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS DIED .

HE DIED LAST WEEK FOLLOWING A LONG ILLNESS SURROUNDED BY FAMILY.

NICHOLS WAS A TOP EXECUTIVE AT ARROW SPEECH CORPORATION WHERE HE WAS RECRUITED TO COME TO CHICAGO FIRST AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND LATER AS PRESIDENT AND CEO.

NICHOLS WAS AN ADVOCATE IN PHILANTHROPY .

HIS WIFE HAS BEEN A BOARD MEMBER FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS AND YOU MAY KNOW FROM HEARING THEIR NAMES EACH NIGHT ON OUR PROGRAM THAT THE NICHOLS ARE STRONG SUPPORTERS OF WTTW AND WTTW NEWS .

WE WILL HAVE MORE ON JOHN NICHOLS LATER ON IN THE PROGRAM.

>>> COMING UP IN A BIT, HOW A GROUP OF STUDENTS ARE COUNTERING VIOLENCE ON THE WEST SIDE.

>>> BUT FIRST, WHAT A WATCHDOG HAS TO SAY ABOUT CHICAGO'S OUTLOOK RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>>> CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS.

THE GYM IN K FAMILY, THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION, AND THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

>>> IT IS A TOUGH ROAD AHEAD WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THE CITY'S FINANCES IN ORDER.

THE CIVIC FEDERATION , A WATCHDOG GROUP, HAS A NEW REPORT LAYING OUT OPTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CITY OFFICIALS TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES AND SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES INCLUDE RECOVERING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE END OF FEDERAL RECOVERY FUNDS.

A CHRONICALLY HIGH LIABILITY BURDEN, SHORTFALL, AND STRUCTURAL DEFICIT JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THESE AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS IS SARAH WHITMORE, ACTING PRESIDENT OF THIS CIVIC FOUNDATION.

SARAH HAS PUT OUT BUDGET FOUNDATIONS.

WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT.

HOW BIG IS THE YEAR TO YEAR STRUCTURAL DEFICIT THAT THE CITY FACES?

>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A CHRONIC MISMATCH BETWEEN ONGOING REVENUE AND EXPENDITURES .

THE CITY HAD MADE PROGRESS ON THIS.

HAS BEEN A LONG-TERM ISSUE BUT IT HAS MADE PROGRESS SINCE THE WORST OF THE PANDEMIC THROUGH RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING AND RESOURCES RECOVERED FROM THE PANDEMIC .

WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A SMALLER STRUCTURAL DEFICIT BUT ONE THAT WILL BE IMPACTED IN THE COMING YEARS BY, FOR EXAMPLE, A SOFTENING IN STATE REVENUES .

THAT COULD INCREASE THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT .

WE ARE SEEING A POTENTIAL FOR A RECESSION, ALL OF WHICH WOULD IMPACT WHAT THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO DO .

>> BY THE END OF THAT IS FEDERAL COVID FUNDING AS WELL.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

COLLECTIVELY THEY ARE 24% FUNDED.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER?

>> AGAIN, THE PROGRESS THE CITY HAS MADE IS IN TERMS OF MAKING A LARGER CONTRIBUTION ACCORDING TO NEED.

ON THE FUNDING PROJECTION TO GET TO 90% FUNDED EVENTUALLY .

HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS THIS YEAR, THAT TAKES 20% OF THE CITY BUDGET.

THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT CANNOT BE SPENT ON OTHER PRIORITIES.

YOU CAN SEE A PERSON ON THE STREET CROWDING OUT OTHER KINDS OF FUNDING.

>> 20% ON DEBT AND DEBT SERVICE.

THAT IS 40% OF THE BUDGET THAT TAXPAYERS WILL NOT RELEASE ANY TANGIBLE IMPACT FROM.

YOUR REPORT TALKS ABOUT DIFFERENT REVENUE OPTIONS, MANY OF WHICH THE MAYOR HAS BROUGHT UP LIKE CORPORATE HEAD TAX , TRANSACTION TAX.

WHAT ARE THE PLUSES AND MINUSES OF SOME OF THESE OPTIONS?

>> WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS PROVIDE A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR THE NEW MAYOR, THE NEW MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE IN ORDER TO CLOSE THAT STRUCTURAL DEFICIT GOING FORWARD.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING TO DO IS PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW THESE REVENUES GET IMPLEMENTED.

CAN THE CITY DO IT ITSELF?

WILL IT REQUIRE STATE STATUTE?

LOOKING AT THE PROS AND CONS, THERE IS CONTEXT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW.

YOU KNOW, TO IMPLEMENT A CITY INCOME TAX , YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEED TO BE PASSED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THERE WOULD NEED TO BE CONSIDERATIONS AS TO HOW THAT WOULD FIT IN WITH THE REST OF THE INCOME TAX OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.

>> THESE ARE HEAVY LIFT EVEN WITH A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR.

MANY OF THESE TAXES YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET APPROVAL FROM SPRINGFIELD .

HE HAS PLEDGED NO PROPERTY TAX HIKES .

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN HELP SOLVE THIS STRUCTURAL DEFICIT WITHOUT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES?

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK OF PROPERTY TAXES IN THE CONTEXT OF , YOU KNOW, HOW THEY FIT INTO THE REST OF THE CITY TAX.

THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF REVENUE BECAUSE THEY ARE RELIABLE.

THEY COME IN YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT AT THE SAME LEVEL AND ARE NOT TIED TO THE ECONOMIC TRAJECTORY, BUT THEY ARE VERY VISIBLE.

THEY ARE BILLED TWICE A YEAR AND PEOPLE ARE TUNED INTO HOW MUCH THEIR PROPERTY TAX IS GOING TO BE, SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THE FULL PLAN FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING GOING FORWARD AND THE PROPERTY TAX COULD BE PART OF THAT, BUT IT IS NOT GOING TO BE SO THEY WILL NEED TO FIND OTHER OPTIONS.

>> SOME THINGS YOU ARE PROMOTING, HAVING THE SIZE OF THE COUNCIL CHANGE.

WHY ARE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS MOVING FORWARD?

>> ANOTHER PART OF THE REPORT IS TO LINK TOGETHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE CIVIC CENTER AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS HAVE MADE OVER DECADES TO IMPROVE THE STRUCTURE OF THE CITY AND FOR PLACES THAT ARE A BIT OF AN OUTLIER, THE CITY COUNCIL IS EXTREMELY MUCH LARGER THAN THE OTHER LARGE CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.

50 ELDER PERSONS HERE.

FOR THE REST OF THE CITY, AN AVERAGE OF 18.

IT STANDS TO REASON THAT IF OTHER CITIES CANNOT BRAVE A SMALLER CITY COUNCIL, SO CAN CHICAGO.

>> I THINK IT IS ONLY 15 IN L.A., RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT, SARAH WHITMORE, THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>>> UP NEXT, DIVING INTO SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES AND SEAFOOD.

BUT FIRST, THE WEATHER.

>>> YOU HAVE HEARD AND PERHAPS TRY TO PLANT BASED MEATS, POPULAR ALTERNATIVES TO THE REAL DEAL THAT TASTE LIKE MEAT BUT ARE MADE OF INGREDIENTS LIKE SOY, BUT WHAT ABOUT FAKE FISH?

THERE IS A SUSTAINABLE OPTION TO SEAFOOD.

THIS MONTH IS DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS TO THE DANGERS THAT ARE FACING THE OCEAN.

AMANDA VINICKY IS DIVING IN.

>> Reporter: THE WORLD'S OCEAN AND MARINE LIFE ARE UNDER THREAT.

WARMING TEMPERATURES DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE, POLLUTION, AND OVERFISHING.

>> I READ A STAT FROM THE 2020 REPORT THAT SAID 35% OF OUR FISHERIES ARE OVEREXPLOITED AND THAT IS UP FROM 10% IN 1990, SO IT IS LIKE THIS REALLY EXPONENTIAL IMPACT.

>> THEY ARE SCOOPING UP THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEANS TO CATCH WHENEVER AND THEN YOU RUN INTO TURTLES AND DOLPHINS.

>> Reporter: BRITNEY WITNESSED THE DAMAGE FIRSTHAND WHEN DIVING THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.

>> WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CORAL BLEACHING, I CANNOT WRAP MY HEAD AROUND WHAT THAT MEANT.

IT WAS TRULY A SKELETON, RIGHT?

CORAL SKELETONS IN THE OCEAN.

WITHOUT THE CORAL, THE FISH ARE THERE TO FEED ON IT AND IT CREATES THIS TERRIBLE DOMINO EFFECT AND KILLS OFF THE ECOSYSTEM.

>> Reporter: SHE TEAMED UP ON A STARTUP DEDICATED TO TACKLING THE ISSUE OF OVERFISHING.

THEY MET YEARS BEFORE AT A NETWORKING EVENT FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURS AND AT THE TIME THEY WERE RUNNING HEALTH-FOOD COMPANIES.

IN EARLY 2020, PALERMO GOT THE IDEA .

>> WE ARE TRYING TO SEE IF OVERFISHING OF THE OCEANS AND CLIMATE CHANGE -- WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF FISH IN THE SEA AND THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE WE HAVE OUR ALTERNATIVE SEAFOODS.

PEOPLE KEEP EATING FISH AT THE RATE THEY ARE, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY LEFT.

>> Reporter: THEIR COMPANY IS SERVING UP A SOLUTION.

>> LET'S START OFF WITH OUR SUSHI.

>> Reporter: THIS SUSHI IS MADE OF FUNGUS THAT LOOKS LIKE FISH.

PALERMO IS TIGHTLIPPED ABOUT HOW THEY MAKE THEIR VERSION OF TUNA, SCALLOPS, AND SHRIMP .

>> WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL.

THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW TRYING TO MIMIC OUR PRODUCT AND OUR TECHNOLOGY.

>> Reporter: THE FISH IS MADE OF A MUSHROOM ROUTE THAT IS FERMENTED AND MANIPULATED .

>> THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS PRODUCT AND HOW WE GROW IT, IT IS VERY, VERY CLOSELY RESEMBLING SEAFOOD TO BEGIN WITH AND WHAT WE ARE ABLE TO DO IS THEN GO THROUGH THE GROWTH PROCESS AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND NUTRITION THAT WE FEED OUR MICROORGANISMS, OUR MUSHROOMS.

IT DEVELOPS AND GROWS, SO WE CAN CHANGE THE TEXTURE OF THE PRODUCT.

>> Reporter: THEY ARE MINDFUL THE PRODUCT DOESN'T GET TOO FISHY, AS IN NO LAUNDRY LIST OF HARD TO PRONOUNCE INGREDIENTS .

>> OUR PRODUCT IS TWO INGREDIENTS.

WE CAN ADD COLOR AND FLAVOR AND CREATE DIFFERENT SPECIES WE WANT TO REPLICATE.

WE WANT TO BE A 1 -1 REPLACEMENT TO SEAFOOD .

TASTE, TEXTURE, NUTRITION SHOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME.

>> Reporter: WITH SOME EXCEPTION.

THEY WANT IT TO BE MORE AFFORDABLE AND TO LAST LONGER, UP TO FOUR WEEKS.

TAKING THAT HAPPEN IS BOO THE PRODUCT DEVELOPER DEVON .

>> I WORK ON THE COLOR, ON THE MARINATION DEVELOPMENT.

>> Reporter: AND TASTE.

UNLIKE TRADITIONAL SEAFOOD, THERE IS NO HAZARD OF MERCURY OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS.

>> WHAT ARE THE OTHER PERKS ?

>> THOSE OF US THAT ARE PREGNANT AND CAN'T HAVE SUSHI, WELL, HERE IS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE.

ANYBODY WHO HAS ALLERGIES TO SEAFOOD OR CRUSTACEANS , NOT AN ISSUE HERE.

>> Reporter: THEY CAN'T SAY WHEN THE PUBLIC WILL GET TO TRY, JUST THEY PLAN TO TEST IN RESTAURANTS SOON.

IN THE MEANTIME, THEY HAVE ADVICE ON HOW TO COMBAT OVERFISHING.

>> SALMON, TUNA, AND FISH ARE THE MOST POPULAR ITEMS IN THE UNITED STATES.

IF WE CONTINUE TO EAT THOSE, WE WILL PUT PRESSURE ON THOSE WILD POPULATIONS.

PEOPLE COULD THINK ABOUT DIVERSIFYING THEIR SEAFOOD DIET OR LOOKING AT LOCAL FISH RESOURCES -- >> Reporter: SHE MEANS TROUT OR WHITE FISH, NOT AQUA CULTURED FISH .

AT LEAST NOT YET.

FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I AM AMANDA VINICKY.

>> IF YOU WANT TO BE CONSCIOUS ABOUT YOUR SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION, WE HAVE SOME OTHER TIPS.

LOOK FOR GROCERS AND RESTAURANTS THAT CAN PROVE THAT THE FISH THEY SELL IS SUSTAINABLY RAISED .

CHECK THE GREEN LIGHT ON WHAT IS SAFEST.

THE SHED HAS A LIST OF LOCAL RESTAURANTS COMMITTED TO HEALTHY RIVERS, LAKES, AND OCEANS.

FARM RAISED FISH ARE NOT ALWAYS PREFERABLE.

THEY COULD BE RAISED WITH HORMONES AND PESTICIDES.

THEIR PRODUCTS ARE MERCURY FREE AND VEGAN SAFE .

BRANDIS ?

>> THEY MAKE A GOOD SNACK TOO, PARIS.

THANK YOU.

>>> PLANTING GARDENS TODAY IN HONOR OF JUNETEENTH , BUT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

THEY ARE BORN OUT OF COLLEGE PREP ALMOST 15 YEARS AGO AND ARE TRAINED ON NONVIOLENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND HAVE KEPT STUDENTS SAFE AMID THE ONGOING STRUGGLE WITH GUN VIOLENCE.

JOINING US MORE IS A RECENT GRADUATE WHERE SHE IS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE WARRIORS, AND IT JIMMY A CUNNINGHAM, ELDER AND CEO OF COLLEGE PREP.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

RECENTLY GRADUATED.

CONGRATS !

WE WILL COME BACK TO THAT BUT YOU PLANTED MULTIPLE BEAT GARDENS TO COMMEMORATE JUNETEENTH.

WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT TO DO THAT ON THIS HOLIDAY?

>> IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE JUNETEENTH IS ABOUT REMEMBERING OUR LOVED ONES AND CELEBRATING THE PAST AND HOW FAR WE HAVE COME SINCE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO CELEBRATE THIS DAY.

>> YOU LEAD THIS GROUP WHILE YOU WERE IN SCHOOL AND HAD TO GO THROUGH TRAINING IN CONFLICT.

HOW DID THAT GO?

>> IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TRAINING.

YOU JUST LEARN ABOUT THE SIX PRINCIPLES, THE DIFFERENT THINGS TO COMBAT VIOLENCE ON A DAILY BASIS.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE HARDSHIPS IN DIFFERENT WAYS TO RESOLVE VIOLENCE WITHOUT USING PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.

>> HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE THESE COMMUNITIES?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THE PRINCIPLES CAME FROM DR. KING AND THAT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE FOR US, WHAT OUR STUDENTS GO THROUGH WHEN THEY COME TO US , THEY EXPERIENCE LOSS AND TRAUMA AND GRIEF .

THE WARRIORS ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT NO STUDENT HAS TO GRIEVE ALONE BUT ALSO THEY INTERJECT OUR SCHOOL WITH LOVINGKINDNESS AND THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT THEY DO.

>> AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, IT HAS BEEN A VIOLENT HOLIDAY WEEKEND IN CHICAGO.

A 14-YEAR-OLD AND 15-YEAR-OLD WERE SHOT, ONE OF THEM FATALLY ON THE WEST SIDE.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DOES THIS VIOLENCE HAVE ON YOUR PEOPLE?

>> IT CHANGES THE WAY YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN.

TRAUMA IMPACTS THE BRAIN AND THEIR ABILITY TO COME IN AND LEARN MATH.

SOMETIMES WE WILL HAVE STUDENTS WITH THEIR HEADS DOWN WERE STUDENTS WHO DON'T LISTEN TO A TEACHER AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE ROOT OF AN ISSUE, A CONVERSATION I HAVE HAD WITH STUDENTS , IT'S WELL, I AM MISSING MY BROTHER OR MISSING A SIBLING.

WHEN YOU BRING THE PARENTS IN , THEY HAVE ALSO LOST A CHILD SO YOU ARE DEALING WITH FAMILY TRAUMA AND FAMILY GRIEVE .

THEN WE ARE TELLING OUR STUDENTS THAT YOU NEED TO LEARN AND BE RESILIENT AND GO TO COLLEGE, SO HOW CAN WE PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT GROWS THE FUTURE WHILE ALSO IS REMEMBERING THE PAST?

>> THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THEY MAY HAVE WITNESSED THIS VIOLENCE RECENTLY.

THE CHANCE OF A BLACK OR LATINO PERSON HAVING SEEN A SHOOTING BY AGE 40 IS AT 50% COMPARED TO A QUARTER FOR WHITE PEOPLE.

ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES IS NONVIOLENCE IS A WAY OF LIFE.

YOU ARE WEARING THE DR. KING QUOTE ON YOUR TEACHER TODAY.

DO YOUR PEERS STRUGGLE WITH REMAINING NONVIOLENT IN THE WAKE OF THIS KIND OF VIOLENCE?

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE CASE THAT NONVIOLENCE IS THE ANSWER?

>> THIS IS SOMETHING WE SEE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

IT IS A WAY OF LIFE .

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, PEOPLE -- IT IS SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING TOWARD, SO THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE KEEP REEMPHASIZING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO AND WILL DO AND THERE IS SOMETHING FOR US ALL TO LIKE.

>> SUMMER IS HARDER FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE WHEN THIS VIOLENCE SEEMS TO PEAK .

>> IT IS HARD AS THE ADULT IN THE SCHOOL AND FOR THE TEACHERS AND THE PRINCIPAL .

THE WAY THAT OUR STUDENTS GET TAINTED IN THE NEWS AND THE WAY THAT THESE YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE ARE PAINTED IN THE NEWS, IT IS OFTEN NEGATIVE.

TO SAY HEY, HERE IS A GREAT STORY , AND OUR STUDENTS ARE PLANTING GARDENS, RIGHT?

THEY ARE NOT OUT DESTROYING ANYTHING, THEY ARE BUILDING LIFE AND CREATING LIFE AND BUILDING SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE AND THAT IS WHAT WE WANT MORE OF ON THE NEWS.

>> JUST A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

WHAT ACTION ARE YOU HOPING THE NEW MAYOR TAKES ?

>> I HOPE HE COMES TO THE TABLE WITH US IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SCHOOLS, HEALTH , ANYBODY THAT IS A COMMUNITY LEADER AND CAN COMMUNICATE WITH STUDENTS AND CAN GET TO THE TABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO THIS.

>> YOU JUST GRADUATED.

ARE YOU GOING TO SCHOOL IN THE FALL?

>> YES, IN MICHIGAN .

>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US TONIGHT .

>> THANK YOU.

>>> IT IS ATTEMPT TO RE-EXAMINE THE WAY CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT BLACK HISTORY AND WITH HOW RACISM HAS CYCLED AND SUPPRESSED STUDENTS IN SCHOOL .

ONE TIKTOK CREATOR HAS BEEN EXPLORING BLACK HISTORY CONTENT AND HAS BEEN HEALING FROM HIS OWN RACIAL INEQUITY IN HIS OWN LIFE.

>> THAT WAS ACTUALLY FOUNDED BY A BLACK GREEK.

WHEN I GO IN I AM GOING IN HIGH-ENERGY.

I BRING MY DRUMS BECAUSE I AM TELLING A STORY.

THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME WE USED DRUMS FOR LIBERATION AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY WERE MADE ILLEGAL.

>> Reporter: IN HIS 12 YEARS AS A HISTORY TEACHER, ERNEST CRIMSON THE THIRD HAS BEEN TEACHING BLACK HISTORY TO NOT JUST EDUCATED STUDENTS, BUT TO AFFIRM THEM.

HE SAYS LEARNING BLACK HISTORY HAS SAVED HIS LIFE AND THROUGH ANTIRACISM WORKSHOPS AND ON TIKTOK , HE WANTS TO DO THE SAME FOR OTHERS.

>> WHO IS GOING FIRST?

I AM FROM THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.

I WENT DOWN TO U OF I IN CHAMPAIGN AND I SAID, DO YOU KNOW WHAT?

I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO TAKE A BLACK HISTORY COURSE AND I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT .

IT BECAME THE DRIVING FORCE FOR ME TO GRADUATE.

I WAS LEARNING SO MUCH INFORMATION.

TO ME, IT WAS LIKE SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE ISSUES IN CHICAGO FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

WE WERE FORCED OVER HERE .

THERE WAS A PERIOD OF ENSLAVEMENT.

THE GREAT MIGRATION?

OH, OKAY.

WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE, I CAN USE THE PREROGATIVE, SO WHAT IF I WAS ABLE TO GIVE THE SAME INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF MY COMMUNITY?

TO ME, THAT WAS A THING THAT WOULD MOVE LIBERATION MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY.

WHAT'S UP, Y'ALL?

>> Reporter: HE HAS BECOME A CONTENT CREATOR IN SOCIAL MEDIA .

THIS BEGAN IN PART DUE TO A 2016 INCIDENT WHEN HE AND HIS WIFE WERE VERBALLY AND PHYSICALLY ATTACKED BY A WHITE WOMAN AT A FESTIVAL.

>> SHE STARTED CALLING US AN AND WORD .

>> WOMAN WAS IDENTIFIED IN LATER CONVICTED OF BATTERY.

HE SAID THE EXPERIENCE INSPIRED HIM TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ANTIRACISM AND BLACK HISTORY CONTENT.

>> I DECIDED TO MAKE A TIKTOK BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE ALL OF THE STUDENTS WERE.

IT TOOK OFF.

>> Reporter: HIS STORIES RANGE FROM HISTORICAL FIGURES TO CURRENT EVENTS.

>> SHE PULLED OUT THAT SAYING.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BUFFALO, NEW YORK , DON'T FORGET TO MENTION THAT BUFFALO WAS AN EPICENTER FOR BLACK LIBERATION DURING SLAVERY.

>> Reporter: JUDGING BY HIS 375,000 FOLLOWERS, HIS CONTENT IS STRIKING A CHORD.

HE REFLECTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SEEING BLACK STORIES DEPICTED IN AMERICAN HISTORY .

>> THIS IS WHERE MY FAMILY'S STORY STARTS IN RECENT HISTORY .

MY FAMILY ON BOTH SIDES CAME TO CHICAGO ON THE SOUTH SIDE IN THE 1950s.

>> Reporter: BY MAKING BLACK HISTORY MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, HE SAYS HE IS DOING HIS PART TO CORRECT THE AMERICAN RECORD.

>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT MY STORY IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT EDUCATION WILL START WITH US FIRST AND FOREMOST.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE SAY AMERICA, WE'RE STARTING FROM A NARRATIVE AND OFTEN TIMES WE COME FROM THAT AND OUR STORIES ARE ADDED AS A FOOTNOTE AND NOT IN CONJUNCTION BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE THIS COUNTRY WAS A NATION.

TO NOT UNDERSTAND OUR HISTORY IS TO MISS OUT ON WHAT AMERICA IS TODAY.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, THIS IS ERICA GUNDERSON.

>>> AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, CHICAGO BUSINESSMAN AND CIVIC LEADER AND PHILANTHROPIST JOHN NICHOLS HAS DIED.

AFTER GRADUATING FROM HARVARD, HE WENT ON TO WORK AT A NUMBER OF COMPANIES INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, AND AT NASA .

IN 1979 HE BECAME PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ILLINOIS TOURS .

>> HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS COMMITMENT TO CIVIC LIFE IN CHICAGO AND PHILANTHROPY.

HE SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, OPERA OF CHICAGO, AND THE ART INSTITUTE .

HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODERN WING AS WELL AS THE NICHOLS BRIDGEWAY CONNECTING THE ART INSTITUTE TO MILLENNIUM PARK .

>> WTTW VIEWERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NICHOLS NAME.

HIS WIFE, ALEXANDRA, IS A WTTW TRUSTEE HAVING FIRST BEEN ELECTED IN 1992.

WHEN YOU HEAR ALEXANDRA AND JOHN NICHOLS , WE ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR SUPPORT OF WTTW AND THE INDEPENDENT WE PRODUCE.

>> BEAR SURVIVED BY THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.

JOHN NICHOLS WAS 92.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS MONDAY NIGHT.

DON'T FORGET TO STAY CONNECTED WITH US BY SIGNING UP FOR OUR DAILY BRIEFING.

GET CHICAGO TONIGHT STREAMED ON YOUTUBE AND ON OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.COM.

>> JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 5:30 AND AT 10:00 AS WE LOOK AT WORSENING DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN THE CHICAGO REGION.

>>> PLUS, ART MEANS BEAUTIFYING THE WEST SIDE WITH SUSTAINABILITY.

>>> AND WE WILL LEAVE YOU WITH SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF THE JUNETEENTH BARBECUE.

FROM ALL OF US HERE TONIGHT, I AM BRANDIS FRIEDMAN .

>> AND I AM PARIS SCHUTZ.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

MUSIC ] >> CLOSED CAPTIONING IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFFORD AND CLIFFORD LAW OFFICES , PROUD SPONSOR OF DIVERSITY,