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Message 2023 Fellows equity Playbookbrought to you by the 2023 cue fellows

1cue | 2023 fellows table of contentsWelcome Facilitating Transformational Change in Organizations Adria HusbandAn Evaluation of Educational Equity: Assessing the Use of Adequate Funds within Chicago Public SchoolsAana WarrenChange LabChandra Christmas-RouseIt takes a village nationChris BridgesHow are Chicago’s Children?: Advancing Racial Equity in Chicago’s Early Childhood Education and Care SystemEdna Navarro-VidaurreReorienting for Equity: Tools to realign short-term government programs with equity goalsElizabeth SchuhUnlocking Innovation through the City’s TIF to Bond Shift: Building a Pathway to Develop Green Social HousingGabriela NelsonLiberating Community Research in Chicago Neighborhoods Jeni Hebert-BeirneElevating Equity in Early Care and Education Consulting: A Framework for Transformative ChangeKristen GarciaFrom the Pavement Up: Growing a Community-Driven Oral History ArchiveLiú Méi Zhì HuìRaising Across the City: TechRise Place-Based Pitch CompetitionsLucy BrennanAt the Intersection: Arts and Culture, Community Development, and ETODMarly SchottCut the Tape: Reducing City Barriers to Housing and Commercial DevelopmentNneka OnwuzurikeGreen Light the Green Line: Revitalizing community through equitable transit-oriented developmentSonseriya Williams020305070911131517192123252729

cue | 2023 fellows 2The CUE Fellowship stemmed from the belief that we, the residents who cherish and love our city, possess the collective power to shape our future. By acknowledging history, shifting power, and building accountability, we’re working toward creating a Chicago that works for us all. Unlocking this potential requires a willingness to colaborate across various sectors—government, phianthropy, media, and research—to address the systemic inequities that persist.In pursuit of this shared vision, our 2023 CUE Fellows have pledged to continue this work through individual projects aimed at advancing racial equity within their respective organizations. Through our learning community during the past year, they have collectively enhanced their racial equity knowledge and skills, creating a shared analysis and building meaningful reationships. Within the following pages, you’ll encounter fourteen catalysts for change, envisioning a future that transcends our current reality. This paybook presents the initial blueprints of that future, albeit intentionally incomplete. Why? Racial equity isn’t merely an endpoint where race ceases to dictate life outcomes, it’s the framework guiding our journey, influencing the decisions we make to disrupt, redistribute, and democratize power along the way.Our 2023 Fellows have developed projects that reflect the diversity of their backgrounds and our city. Some of the simiar throughlines we’ve found are as follows: Connecting Innovators/Disruptors: projects that aim to build connections between like-minded individuals, innovators, and system disruptors, using their skills to ensure more opportunities to ignite change. Tools for Equity: projects that provide mechanisms to assess and address equity needs and outcomes.Internal Processes and Practices: projects that offer frameworks and outlines to address equity within organizations.Community Ownership: projects that focus on community-driven panning, highlighting shared decision-making and governance.In this vein, this paybook isn’t a step-by-step guide; it’s a source of inspiration intended to spark civic discourse. We invite you to embark on this journey with us as we collectively forge the path toward the equitable city we aspire to live in.In community, Sofia Sabatés, Director of Finance and Administration Rachel Pate, Director of Civic Programming Christina Córdova-Herrera, Director of Communications and Narrative StrategyOur greatest asset is our people.

3cue | 2023 fellows ADRIA HUSBANDAdria Husband brings over 25 years of extensive expertise in educational leadership, operations management, and organizational development to her commitment as an advocate for racial and social justice. Adept at fostering organizational culture shifts, problem-solving, and innovative process design, her journey spans orchestrating systemic social-emotional development initiatives for students in grades K-12 across twenty arge urban school districts, as well as spearheading participatory grantmaking strategy redesign projects that center the experiences and voices of historically marginalized communities of color. Beyond her professional pursuits, Adria is a devoted mother to an amazing daughter in college and a spirited Lhasa Apso doggie. In her cherished moments of leisure, she is an avid house music dancer and indulges her passion for writing, poetry and crafting, enriching her life with creative expression and introspection. ORGANIZATION: Shifting Hearts and Minds LLCTHE CHALLENGE:Each individual brings a rich tapestry of cultural expressions to the table. Within any workpace environment, we encounter the inherent challenge of effectively colaborating with colleagues who hold diverse cultural values, beliefs, and perspectives. Without acknowledging and nurturing explicit values and ways of being that cultivate individual and collective thriving, workpaces risk perpetuating oppressive, toxic traits that hinder long-term human flourishing.“Ar Yo Read to Mov You Workplac fro A Toxi Cultur to  Thrivin Cultur?” PROJECT SUMMARY: Culture is the most pervasive force present in Culture is perhaps the most pervasive force in human interaction, yet it remains one of the least examined and understood aspects. While culture is often defined in a variety of ways, I find Zaretta Hammond’s description of culture as “Culture is the way that every brain makes sense of the world. That is why everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, has a culture. Think of culture as the software for the brain’s hardware.” The United States has been identified as the most individualistic culture (self-oriented, individual effort favored in business and Facilitating Transformational Change in Organizations

cue | 2023 fellows 4learning, competition over cooperation) in the world, as documented by cultural psychologist Geert Hofstede. This cultural orientation manifests in our economic system, where capitalism prioritizes profit maximization regardless of its impact on human beings and quality of life. The sociopolitical roots of this individualistic culture are evident in the aws, policies, and structures that were historically designed by and for the benefit of white, middle-cass men. Consequently, our society and country have been structured to prioritize individual gain and profits, specifically for white middle-cass men, resulting in conditions that are deeply harmful and destructive to individuals and communities who do not fit within this demographic. The solution to this pervasive problem requires a committed focus and intention to transform every environment across every sector of society into one that centers the values of collectivism: power sharing, colaboration, trusting reationships, and communal care. Shifting Hearts and Minds LLC partners with organizations that are dedicated to the process of organizational transformation, recognizing that it cannot be achieved through a finite professional development workshop series or statements of purpose alone. The process of transformational change inherently takes time and dedicated effort, and we are here to support organizations at every step of that journey towards more effective teams, outcomes, and organizational thriving.NEXT STEPS:Our next steps will involve piloting this organizational transformation process with a cross-sector group of organizations over a period of 3-5 years. In a post-pandemic workpace environment that aims to create conducive settings for individuals to thrive, from millennials to baby boomers, we will colaborate to navigate the complexities of modern workpaces. This colaboration will involve assessing, vision-casting, coaching, and utilizing multi-disciplinary practices to cultivate an organizational culture in which everyone can thrive. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:http://www.shiftingheartsandminds.com/

5cue | 2023 fellows ALANA WARRENAana Warren is a Senior Research Associate at the Civic Federation, leading the State of Illinois and Chicago Public Schools budget analyses, and other short form reports centered around local government policies and initiatives. She has 8+ years of experience working in non-profit, higher education and government sectors and is an advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion. She identifies with the systems change approach to best promote equity in any setting and reguarly engages in community outreach. As a Back woman, she values the importance of one’s lived experience because she believes that marginalized communities who have been historically underserved should always have a seat at the table and their voices heard to encourage a true sense of belonging.ORGANIZATION: The Civic FederationTHE CHALLENGE:Several members of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) community and education advocates continue advocating for additional funds to enhance or expand resources, programs, and services needed to best serve students—primarily students of color. The Evidence-Based Funding formua was designed to provide “adequate” funding to under-resourced school districts within Illinois. However, as of fiscal year 2023, CPS was only funded at 75% and projected at 81% for fiscal year 2024. “Th mos contentiou polic decision ar mad b thos wit powe an privileg, bu peopl withou powe an privileg ar mos impacte b thei decision— chang mus b mad.”An Evaluation of Educational Equity: Assessing the use of adequate funds within chicago public schools

cue | 2023 fellows 6PROJECT SUMMARY: When Governor Bruce Rauner signed Public Act 100-0465 into aw on August 31, 2017, the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formua was created to set a target funding level known as the “adequacy target,” based on a school district’s needs. Initially, the goal set by the bill was for all school districts within Illinois to reach 100% funding by the end of fiscal year 2027. However, as of fiscal year 2023, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) was only 75% funded and was also designated as Tier 2, a change from previous fiscal years when the district was assigned to Tier 1. Additionally, the district is projected to be 81% funded in fiscal year 2024 but will likely still be designated as Tier 2. The Evidence-Based Funding formua model uses a 3-tiered system to determine the amount of money each school district receives from the state. Tier 1 school districts typically receive more funds than those in Tiers 2 and 3. Throughout the years, various advocacy organizations and community members have pushed for the state to increase the statutorily required amount, part of which is allocated to Chicago Public Schools annually, from $350 million to $550 million. The aim of the proposed annual increases is to enable the district to reach its 100% fully funded “adequacy target” sooner—thus improving funding for historically underfunded schools, which are often in marginalized communities. However, the state continues to provide CPS and all other schools in the state with only the statutorily required EBF amount of $350 million. At the current funding rate, the formua will not be fully funded until fiscal year 2038. Conducting aspects of the Racial Equity Impact Assessment on the EBF formua as it reates to CPS and its impact on schools in Englewood will provide the Civic Federation, CPS, the State of Illinois, and the general public with information on how equitable or inequitable the formua is. This will also serve as a valuable source of information for advocacy organizations and community members seeking increased transparency and accountability from local governments, and opening the door for potential partnerships aimed at improving equity-based budgeting methods.NEXT STEPS:To continue meeting with key stakeholders that are a part of the Englewood community and Chicago Public Schools community to understand their lived experiences regarding equitable funding and the improvements, if any, at both the district and individual school levels within Englewood. Following these meetings, a short-form report will be released, presenting research findings and recommendations on how funding and budgeting techniques can be more equitably distributed to these schools, thereby enhancing the educational experience of students who have been historically underserved. Additionally, recommendations will be provided for the Civic Federation’s budget analysis process. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:Visit www.civicfed.org to find the short-form report. Follow Civic Federation on LinkedIn. Email me to learn more at awarren@civicfed.org. .

7cue | 2023 fellows CHANDRA CHRISTMAS-ROUSEChandra Christmas-Rouse is an urban panner, advocate and artist. A background in community development and environmental justice informs her design approach of working with community stakeholders in a participatory process to support capacity building, achieve pace-based solutions, and reimagine systems. Chandra currently serves as a Director at Metropolitan Panning Council (MPC), where she leads initiatives on the implementation of systems change efforts, equitable transit-oriented development and housing policy. MPC is a panning and policy organization that seeks to build equity in the built environment across the Chicago region. Chandra is also the author of Where the Sidewalk Grows, and creator of the Maplibs Project, a living atas that explores past, present and future community spaces in the greater Bronzeville neighborhoods.Change LabORGANIZATION: Metropolitan Panning CouncilTHE CHALLENGE:While our region is evolving, racial and economic inequities persist. The built environment sector must design enduring solutions. Government, private sector and civic partners have made significant progress in advancing equitable practices and policies in cities. However, after legisation is passed or a practice is proposed, there remains a need for better coordination and implementation of these systems change efforts.“Chang La i  learnin laborator wher practitioner ca as new question, buil transformativ relationship neede to buil transformativ solution an practic new way of workin & holdin chang togethe.”PROJECT SUMMARY: Change Lab is a comprehensive training and learning initiative designed to equip civic, private

cue | 2023 fellows 8and public sector partners with the knowledge, skills and tools necessary to implement systems change. Guided by the principles of curiosity, creativity, trust, colaboration, reflection, risk-taking and equity, our approach focuses on effectively coordinating policy, process and culture change. The journey begins with learning and understanding our role within systems, followed by co-creation and sharing decision-making power and culminates in the experimentation and exploration of creative approaches. We offer three pathways to engage with the Systems Changemaking curriculum of Change Lab: a workshop series, a community of practice and a learning partnership. A workshop series involves convenings with facilitated discussions and hands-on tools for partners to learn about structural inequities over 1 to 6 months. A community of practice provides a space for partners to learn from and colaborate with each other to co-create solutions over 6 months to 1 year. Lastly, the learning partnership program allows partners to learn, colaborate and experiment with implementing solutions and leading institutional change through coaching, facilitation, and train-the-trainer support over 1 to 3 years. Our curriculum is built upon three pilars: systems thinking, colaboration and narrative & culture change. Systems thinking is the process of 1) recognizing our role and reationships to the systems we function in and 2) understanding the interconnectedness of systemic root causes and structures of power. Colaboration is the process of sharing decision-making power across and within organizations, communities, and sectors to drive change. Narrative and culture change is the intentional effort to challenge assumptions and shift the stories and cultural norms that guide our values and influence how we make meaning of information and experiences in the built environment.NEXT STEPS:If you would like to help shape our work, we aunched an advisory committee in April that will co-design our strategy across four key areas: communicating impact, policy change, systems changemaking and sustainable business models. If you are interested in actively participating in our work, we are seeking partners who: 1) align with our principles, 2) are eager to learn about structural inequities and topics reated to our curriculum pilars, and 3) are willing and able to commit for at least 1 month for the Workshop Series, 6 months for the Community of Practices or 1 year for Learning Partnerships.ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:Learn more about the Change Lab by visiting https://metropanning.org/projects/change-ab/

9cue | 2023 fellows CHRIS BRIDGESORGANIZATION: It Takes A Vilage NationTHE CHALLENGE:Community leaders and advocacy organizations often use social media to colaborate, organize and share critical information as they work to address systemic issues. However, the corporations that own existing social media patforms have no regard for the safety and privacy of users, jeopardizing the movements and lives of organizers. It Takes a Vilage Nation (ITAVN) provides a safe space to organize digitally and circumvent social media patforms that seek to disempower and divide their users. Countering the improper usage, sale, and exploitation of personal user data, giving voice to users who have been silenced for protesting ongoing societal and international harms, ITAVN aims to provide a safe space for like-minded individuals and groups to share information, resources, and colaborate on change-making strategies near and far.“Do’ giv u unti yo’r eithe dea o yo wi.”PROJECT SUMMARY:It Takes A Vilage Nation (ITAVN) is a social patform where activists, organizers, businesses and community members from all over the world can connect virtually. It Takes A Vilage Nation provides space for these individuals, organizations and businesses to connect, colaborate, share Chris Bridges is the Founder of It Takes A Vilage Nation (www.ittakesavilagenation.com)-- a social media patform where like-minded activists, creatives, community organizers, and business owners who support communities of color can connect virtually, coalition build intentionally, and strategize effectively, regardless of whether they are in the same zip code or on opposite coasts. ITAVN’s goal is to facilitate the creation of socially conscious and supportive vilages that inspire enhanced activism and asting community engagement on a digital patform. Chris Bridges is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law. He also holds an MS in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University, a BS in Political Science and a BA in Criminal Justice, both from North Carolina Central University.It Takes A Village Nation

cue | 2023 fellows 10resources and mobilize around social justice causes and topics they care about. It Takes A Vilage Nation is simple, intuitive, and can be used as a tool, a resource, and a directory. This social patform empowers users to: build community quickly; learn of other advocates and activists working on simiar issues locally and nationally; learn of local businesses that are owned by and/or serve underrepresented popuations and communities of color; and encourages community engagement, coalition building, and partnership among allies both known and unknown. In that sense, no matter where you are, signing on allows you to strengthen and build community while supporting the many vilages with which we interact. Whether it’s organizing a local protest against police brutality, or developing a political mobilization group to suggest legisation ideas that will impact their community, ITAVN provides a patform and space where individuals can colaborate, share resources, ideas, or connections to more broadly and effectively address local, national, and even international issues.NEXT STEPS:The next steps for my project include a fundraising campaign to help support the re-aunch of the website as well as recruitment of beta users to test the site’s many functionalities, covering maintenance and technical updates. While in the testing phase, we’ll work on optimizing existing and future user experience so that ITAVN can best deliver on a creative digital patform for movers and shakers! After this phase, we’ll move to a soft and, ater, a full aunch, where past, present, and future users can begin building people power and critical connections across the patform.ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:Find more information at www.ittakesavilagenation.com.Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X: @itavn

11cue | 2023 fellows EDNA NAVARRO-VIDAURREEdna Navarro Vidaurre (she/her/ela/a) is the Birth to Five Illinois Regional Council Manager for the Region 1-A (City of Chicago). Edna has over 30 years in the field of early childhood education and care and has served in a variety of roles, including Family and Community Engagement Manager for the Office of Early Childhood Education at Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Assistant Director of Community Systems Development at Illinois Action for Children, Preschool Teacher in CPS and at a Community Early Learning Center, and a Erikson Institute Illinois Early Childhood Fellow (13-15). Edna believes that communities that engage residents in building a pace they want to live are imperative to the well-being of children and their families. ORGANIZATION: Birth to Five Illinois THE CHALLENGE:Communities have historically been under-resourced and face barriers to accessing high-quality early childhood care and education opportunities. Solutions are needed to increase awareness, funding, enrollment, community engagement and alignment within Chicago’s complex ECEC system. Addressing these issues would advance our ECEC sector by allowing for solutions to be co-designed with the communities that are most impacted.“W ca co-desig solution tha wil buil th typ of syste tha w ca b prou of an cente th communit, especiall th voice of ou familie an provider becaus thos tha ar closes to th proble ofte hav th solution w nee to addres thes problem.” - Mayo Brando JohnsoHow are Chicago’s Children?: Advancing Racial Equity in Chicago’s Early Childhood Education and Care System

cue | 2023 fellows 12PROJECT SUMMARY: Birth to Five Illinois pays a vital role in amplifying community input in the development of policies and funding priorities, while also mobilizing communities to establish and sustain equitable access to inclusive, high-quality early childhood services for all children and families in the state of Illinois. The organization’s vision is to reimagine a more equitable Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) system, one that honors and prioritizes family and community voice in decision-making at every level in Illinois. Its values and goals are centered on family voice, racial equity and collective impact.In colaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago (previously the National Opinion Research Center), the Birth to Five Illinois Regional Teams participated in a Racial Equity and Culturally Responsive Practice professional learning series. During the introductory session, we were inspired by a short video discussing the Maasai people of Africa, whose typical greeting is “How are the Children?” The customary response, “All the children are well,” reflects their deep commitment to children’s well-being and underscores the shared responsibility of caring for every child in the community. This simple question has served as a reminder throughout my Fellowship journey and Birth to Five Illinois work, emphasizing the urgency to ensure that “All the children are well.” The Birth to Five Illinois Region 1-A City of Chicago communities have historically been under-resourced and underserved, leading families to encounter barriers when seeking access to high-quality early childhood care and education opportunities. Despite the State of Illinois defining priority popuations such as Families of English Language Learners and Families without permanent housing, etc., many of these families have a hard time navigating Chicago’s complex ECEC system. Issues such as a ack of community awareness, insufficient funding for proper slot allocation and low program enrollment have been documented through various sources with limited success. Moreover, authentic community engagement and decision-making have also been constrained, particuarly when compared to Rosa Gonzalez’s Facilitating Power’s Community Engagement Spectrum. Additionally, various ECEC system initiatives are underway at different “tables,” that would benefit from exploring alignment opportunities. My project aims to advance racial equity in Chicago’s ECEC System through the development of Chicago’s ECEC Equity Framework. The framework will serve as a valuable tool for communities working to ensure that racial equity is embedded into all aspects of the collective work, ultimately breaking the cycle so that a child’s zip code no longer determines their success.NEXT STEPS:A working draft of Chicago’s ECEC Equity Framework will be socialized with various stakeholders for feedback, updates and to discuss action/implementation steps and timeline. Additionally, since two CUE Fellows are focused on the ECEC system, we’ll explore opportunities for local and state efforts to improve alignment and responsiveness, particuarly in light of the State’s transition to a new State Early Childhood Agency with the goal of enhancing access to the ECEC system. ADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:For updates and ways to get involved, email enavarrovidaurre@birthtofiveil.com

13cue | 2023 fellows ELIZABETH SCHUHElizabeth Schuh is the Director of Policy for the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development (BED). She has nearly 20 years of experience working in urban development and policy, from community organizing, to local governments, up to regional policy. She previously worked at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Panning and led the development of ON TO 2050. She has been with the Bureau of Economic Development (BED) for nearly 3 years and provides project management across BED’s ARPA programs, leads the development of BED’s strategic pan and accountability, and facilitates policy and legisative work. BED’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for Cook County residents through transformative and equitable community and economic development.ORGANIZATION: Cook County Bureau of Economic DevelopmentTHE CHALLENGE:Relief or issue-focused federally-funded programs are often implemented under short timelines to expend grants. This leads to reliance on existing partners and networks, which unfortunately means that communities most affected are often unable to effectively participate in the design and implementation of the program. This resource aims to meet public entities where they are and offer guidance on mid-program adaptation to enhance the achievement of equity goals and engage Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) more effectively.“Throug Countywid suppor of equit prioritie an carefu cultivatio of partnership wit organization tha represen exclude communitie, w hav bee abl to buil program tha directl respon to communit need.”Reorienting for equity: tools to realign short-term government programs with equity goals

cue | 2023 fellows 14PROJECT SUMMARY: The Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA) remains the gold standard for evaluating and realigning government policies and programs to achieve equity goals. It ensures that public policies and programs truly address community needs and implement community-defined solutions. However, many public programs respond to short-term federal funding initiatives with narrow goals and tight timelines. This project provides strategies and case studies to assist already-aunched or fast-moving government programs to better integrate core equity concepts. The focus is on establishing equity from the program inception and incorporating iterative feedback from key local partners to integrate community feedback and address emerging needs. This includes proactive measures, such as establishing networks of trusted community partners in advance, involving those partners in program management and feedback conversations, and adaptively promoting avaiable resources. The program also provides frameworks and examples to assess ongoing program outcomes to ensure that goals are met.NEXT STEPS:This project is in process, so the next steps include completing the internal working group to finalize the strategies and presentation. Once completed, the Bureau will share these strategies internally and externally, as well as identify opportunities to integrate these strategies into existing programs. As part of the project, the working group is exploring ways to incorporate these principles from the start for future short-deadline funding opportunities, as well as leveraging frameworks like the Equity Fund Task Force and seizing opportunities to further develop key community partnerships in advance to support future endeavors. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS AND RESOURCES:Contact Elizabeth Schuh at elizabeth.schuh@cookcountyil.gov

15cue | 2023 fellows GABRIELLA NELSONGabriela “Gabby” Nelson serves as the Director of Housing at the Mayor’s Office of Business and Neighborhood Development. There, she manages strategic pace-based and policy initiatives from fair housing to green social housing to streamlining the development of affordable housing. Before joining the Mayor’s Office, she was a Senior Public Policy Analyst at the Chicago Department of Housing, where she managed strategic investments for vulnerable popuations and crafted policies to make affordable housing accessible across all of Chicago’s neighborhoods. She earned her bachelor’s degree in international studies and Spanish from DePaul University and is an alumnus of the Fulbright Program sponsored by the State Department.ORGANIZATIONOffice of the Mayor, City of ChicagoTHE CHALLENGE:Chicago is facing an affordable housing crisis, with demand for housing unable to meet supply. However, the avaiability of federal subsidies known as Low-Income Housing Tax (LIHTC) credits has constrained Chicago’s affordable housing production. As the City of Chicago looks to solve Chicago’s affordable housing crisis, creating a revolving construction loan fund seeded from Bond funds creates a new tool that allows the City to finance affordable housing development.“Th Cit of Chicago ha a opportunit to becom th rs cit of it scal to successfull implemen  socia housin mode an provid housin fo al – al withou raisin taxe o relyin o federa subsidie.”Unlocking innovation through the city’s tif to bond shift: building a pathway to develop green social housing

cue | 2023 fellows 16PROJECT SUMMARY: Mayor Brandon Johnson is proposing a historic move to restructure Chicago’s approach to equitable neighborhood development through a $1.25 billion bond issuance, redirecting money from the City’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program, creating a long-term source of flexible funding. A shift to Bonds would address the long-standing challenges with TIF as a primary funding source and simultaneously allow the City to make robust, sustained, and innovative investments in affordable housing, green social housing, homelessness, community development, business growth, and wealth-building. My CUE project focuses on advancing how the City of Chicago can leverage Bond funds to create a revolving construction loan fund to expand the production of affordable, mixed-income housing, also known as the Green Social Housing Revolving Fund. Green social housing represents an innovative but proven form of low-carbon, permanently affordable, mixed-income housing development that does not rely on Low-Income Housing Tax (LIHTC) Credits or traditional forms of affordable housing finance.Pioneered in the U.S. by localities like Montgomery County, Maryand, in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, and Atanta, Georgia — but modeled on longstanding initiatives in other countries — green social housing provides low-cost construction loans to developers on the condition that the developers sell the building back to the local government when it has been completed. The local government then contracts a property manager to operate the building in coordination with a tenant governance body, using rents from the building to cover expenses and long-term savings generated by the low-cost construction loan to support a substantial number of affordable homes. Once repaid within three to five years, the original construction loan can then be reinvested in another development.Not only does this model offer a way to “grow the pie” – increasing the number of affordable homes that the City can create without relying on increased state or federal subsidies — but because financial assistance is provided in the form of a loan, one-time allocations of resources can be used repeatedly over time to fund many projects, something that is not true of traditional forms of affordable housing finance.NEXT STEPS:The Bonds would seed the revolving fund, which would provide low-cost loans for green social housing. A program ordinance would be required to establish the administrative infrastructure and guidelines for the initiative. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS:Learn more by visiting: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/business-and-neighborhood-development-strategy/home.html

17cue | 2023 fellows JENI HEBERT-BEIRNEJeni Hebert-Beirne MPH, PhD is an Associate Professor of Community Health Sciences (CHS) at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health. She is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institute for Health-funded community-based participatory researcher who uses qualitative, community-engaged research approaches to promote health equity at the neighborhood level, focusing on understanding the lived experience of those most impacted by structural drivers of health inequities and identifying community-led and/or system-level solutions. She and her colleagues in CHS represent an interprofessional, transdisciplinary group of researchers dedicated to promoting health equity as a social justice imperative focusing on the social and structural determinants of health across popuations and throughout the lifecourse toward improving popuation health and well-being.ORGANIZATION: University of Illinois - Chicago School of Public HealthTHE CHALLENGE:The predominance of singuar kinds of evidence typically generated through pace-based research, without authentic community engagement, produces a narrative that paces bame on individuals for their challenges. This perpetuates a status quo that upholds social and health injustices. Community control of research is essential to produce evidence focused on generating solutions, promoting healing and informing public and social policies. This approach is crucial for fostering health equity in Chicago.“Exclusio fro knowledg productio i  for of violenc.”liberating community research in chicago neighborhoods

cue | 2023 fellows 18PROJECT SUMMARY: Liberating Community Research in Chicago Neighborhoods is a project that aims to transform the nature of community-based research in Chicago by utilizing the lessons learned from participatory action research and emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project will promote community-led, liberatory research and reduce opportunities for extractive research. It focuses on investing in community control in community-based research and accountability in academia, challenging the dominant narratives in research and contributing to more equity and justice-centered research. A working theory of change (ToC) developed by considering community research from a civic trauma lens, power mapping the stakeholders, and grounding in principles from the Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA) was developed. Contributions to this ToC came from three primary audiences who support community governance of community research: the Greater Lawndale Healthy Work project, a community-based participatory research study in the UIC Center for Healthy Work, the Chicago Consortium for Community Engagement (C3), a network of academic research institutions and community stakeholders that connect and leverage the resources of the community engagement programs of Chicago’s Clinical and Transational Science Awards (CTSAs) and members of the Chicago Department of Public Health Healthy Chicago Equity Zone and Chicago Community Health Response Corps leadership team. Specifically, we seek to alter the research ecology in Chicago to promote community-based participatory research by co-designing a community-academic partnership praxis learning community between UIC researchers and Chicago regional and community leads. This space will recognize the harm research has caused, center decolonizing research practices and reflect on social injustices to produce counter-hegemonic discourse to foster alternative ideas to promote health justice. Using Public Health Critical Race Praxis1, we will question evidence that is produced without community insight, naming the harm research can do when it is acontextual, ahistorical and not community engaged. We will name epistemic violence, the concept that violence is exerted through the notion that certain forms of knowledge are more valid or credible than others, to emphasize other ways of knowing and encourage indigenous, participatory research methodologies that can build capacity and foster healing. We will also co-design an accountability process in the academy and in the community to reduce extractive research. Specifically, we will pilot a module to be added to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or other research processes for Chicago pace-based research that will assure the research is grounded in community priorities and has community leadership on the research team. We will then co-design with Chicago regional and community leads community research principles to guide community researcher activity in Chicago neighborhoods. 1Sources: Ford, C. L. (2016). Public health critical race praxis: an introduction, an intervention, and three points for consideration. Wis. L. Rev., 477.; Ford, C. L., & Airhihenbuwa, C. O. (2010). The public health critical race methodology: praxis for antiracism research. Social science & medicine, 71(8), 1390-1398.NEXT STEPS:The working theory of change (ToC), developed by considering community research from a civic trauma lens, power mapping the stakeholders, and grounding in principles from Racial Equity Impact Assessment (REIA), has informed a funding proposal. Once funding is acquired, the next steps are to use the ChiByDesign anti-racist, trauma-informed approach to co-design two processes focused on trust building/ partnership development and institutional change, respectively. First, we will establish a framework for community-academic partnership praxis. Second, we will build and integrate accountability mechanisms into the university Institutional Review Board (IRB) and/or research processes and identify community co-developed accountability principles for researchers. ADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:Faculty Website: https://publichealth.uic.edu/profiles/jeni-hebert-beirne/ UIC Partnership for Anti-Racist Campus Transformation: https://pact.uic.edu/

19cue | 2023 fellows KRISTEN GARCIAKristen Garcia is an Early Care and Education Policy Associate at Afton Partners, specializing in community engagement, where she supports the early care and education team in various policy initiatives. As a first-generation Latina and college graduate, Kristen leads with a racial equity, trauma-informed, and community-systems lens to uplift underserved communities. In her current role at Afton Partners, Kristen has developed strategies to embed racial equity and co-design principles into community engagement practices in early childhood projects. In her previous role as a Project Manager for the Community Systems Statewide Supports team at Illinois Action for Children, Kristen developed an annual conference of over 500 participants and led an Advisory Committee that shifted decision-making power to early childhood colaboration leaders, parents, and community members across the state to inform conference design. Kristen moved to Chicago as an adolescent and currently resides in McKinley Park. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her English bulldog, Sigmund. Kristen holds a BA in Psychology from Dominican University.ORGANIZATION: Afton PartnersTHE CHALLENGE:Early care and education (ECE) is crucial for aying the foundation of success in a child’s life, yet access to high-quality services remains inequitable across race, ethnicity, income, location, ability, and age. Systemic barriers reated to funding, governance, and policies perpetuate these disparities. This framework aims to update Afton’s internal processes to use a racial Elevating Equity in Early Care and Education Consulting: A Framework for Transformative Change

cue | 2023 fellows 20equity lens to pan and implement early childhood systems-change initiatives. By prioritizing racial equity at every phase of a project, the framework seeks to avoid perpetuating harm on the communities most impacted by the initiatives.“Racia equit i no jus th absenc of discriminatio an inequitie, bu also th presenc of deliberat system an support to achiev an sustai racia equit throug proactiv an preventativ measure.” - Racia Justic i Educatio, Nationa Educatio Association PROJECT SUMMARY: The early care and education (ECE) system in Illinois is striving to enhance equitable access to high-quality ECE services for all children from birth to age five. Afton Partners colaborates with Illinois early childhood state agencies to support transformative funding, governance, and policy initiatives that align with this goal. This project focuses on developing a racial equity framework that includes tools, guiding principles, resources, and best practices for centering racial equity and community engagement to inform our colaborative endeavors with state agencies. The framework will guide Afton’s approach to ECE systems-change initiatives and help Afton staff center racial equity throughout a project life cycle. Incorporating tools and learnings from Chicago United for Equity, ChiByDesign, National Equity Project, and the Government Alliance on Racial Equity, this framework represents our commitment to prioritize justice and rectify racial and social opportunity gaps within the ECE andscape.Afton Partners, an education consulting firm, specializes in creating meaningful change in communities by transforming public policies and practices, so they are effective, sustainable, and responsive to community needs. One of Afton’s practice areas is early care and education, where we provide advisory services for policy and systems change, financial panning, and workforce compensation. Guided by our core values of justice, integrity, and inclusivity, we’ve been actively supporting Illinois’ early care and education policy work since 2019.NEXT STEPS:My next steps include completing the racial equity framework and engaging staff in conversations to further develop the framework and ensure the tools, guiding principles, resources, and best practices for centering equity and community engagement align with Afton’s internal processes. Once finalized, we will pilot the framework and collect feedback and data on its effectiveness. We will then refine and adjust the framework based on feedback. ADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:To learn more about Afton Partners, visit aftonpartners.com. If you would like to learn more about this racial equity framework, email Kristen directly at kristen.garcia@aftonpartners.com. Find more details about the framework and our approach in the near future on Afton’s blog (aftonpartners.com/blog).

21cue | 2023 fellows LIÚ MÉI ZHÌ HUÌLiú is a queer, trans non-binary, disabled, and Abolitionist cultural organizer. They are the Oral History Programs Manager at the National Public Housing Museum (NPHM), whose mission is to preserve, promote, and propel the right of all people to a pace to call home. Liú views storytelling and memory work as key strategies for cultivating more holistic understandings of our pasts, presents, and futures, with a focus on thawing trauma and nurturing authentic connection. At NPHM, they focus on building capacity among misrepresented communities, empowering them with the agency and skills to document, preserve, and share histories from their perspectives. Liú’s personal work also centers community self-determination, as well as chosen family, intra-communal violence, Basian solidarity, and the textures of silence. ORGANIZATION: National Public Housing MuseumTHE CHALLENGE:Public housing communities, who are predominantly Back and Brown, face immense challenges in securing high-quality education—facing disinvestment, disenfranchisement, batant racism, and more. These obstacles to equitable education make it difficult for them to compete for positions at cultural institutions, which are oversaturated with people who have advanced degrees but no lived experience in these communities. Consequently, control over the narratives of public housing remains in the hands of non-residents.“Throug sem-yearl grou evaluation of ou wor an adherenc to co-desig, th A-Tea componen strengthen th overal sustainabilit an continuou developmen of th Archiv Workin Grou, an th Archiv itself.”from the pavement up: growing a community-driven oral history archive

cue | 2023 fellows 22PROJECT SUMMARY: The development of the National Public Housing Museum’s (NPHM) public-facing oral history archive website and other archival infrastructure, including policies, best practices, tools, systems, and activations, centers an iterative process led by an Archive Working Group. Recognizing the limitations of primarily symbolic working groups who “consult” without any real institutional power, I developed an equity-focused project management matrix that facilitates the learning and practicing of necessary archival skills and knowledge. The Archive Working Group operates alongside our Beauty Turner Academy of Oral History training and apprenticeship series, which gives Working Group members the opportunity to develop additional facilitation and mentorship skills, and to foster community amongst the entire Oral History Collective. The combined approach has already empowered participants to take active leadership in various components of the ongoing growth, development, and care of the archive. For example, one working group member is leading the charge on archival policy; another is our back-end expert, helping with the exhaustive data and metadata tasks necessary to build a rigorous and feature-rich online archive; and a third member was hired in January as a full-time employee at the museum, with their position focusing on creative activations of the archive. We expect the leadership of Working Group members to grow just as the Working Group itself grows and matures. Lastly but crucially, the Working Group has an accountability component to safeguard against our initial fear: it being watered down into an exclusively symbolic or token system. All Working Group members take part in semi-annual reflective evaluations and structural revisions to address pain points and ensure that we are being true to our participatory vision of co-design and colaborative authority.NEXT STEPS:Our next immediate step is finishing the initial construction of the Oral History Archive website. From there, we will continue to prepare more interviews for the website and run focus groups with additional public housing residents to gather broader feedback on the presentation of their life histories. This summer marks an exciting development in our archival policy, as we will host a 3-part participatory development workshop series facilitated by archivist extraordinaire, Stacie Williams. Through these workshops, the Archive Working Group will colaborate with additional public housing residents to formuate full drafts of our Active Collections, Archive Usage, and Protected Access Policies.ADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:The website will be aunched at nphm.org in mid-June.For updates on the Archive and the physical museum, follow us on social media (@thenphm) and sign up for our newsletter at nphm.org. For information on the Working Group structure and incorporation of equity tools into their approach, email Liú directly at lchen@nphm.org

23cue | 2023 fellows LUCY BRENNANI came to P33 after working for 4 years in Middle School after school programming in the Bay Area, and through the experience was introduced to partnerships with many arge tech companies. The stark differences between the communities in which my students and I were living and working, and the lifestyles and environments of the employees living and working at these Bay Area tech companies; coupled with the reality that the successful growth of one group influenced the further disenfranchisement of the other-- was garing (and, frankly, scary). The entrepreneurship/venture world was a very new one for me, and I came into this role not really knowing what I was getting myself into. While I’m unsure of many things, I can confirm my belief that the impact of technology on our future economic and community development is accelerating, and I look forward to continue paying a role in promoting initiatives that ensure this development prioritizes societal and economic equity.Raising Across the City: TechRise Place-Based Pitch CompetitionsORGANIZATION: P33 ChicagoTHE CHALLENGE:Despite being one of the most diverse cities in the nation, Chicago is also one of the most segregated. The significant positive impacts of local entrepreneurship are not equitably distributed geographically across the city. This Fellowship project aims to address this disparity through a Pace-Based TechRise competition series amplifying innovation and developing resource pipelines to connect Chicago’s expanding tech community with neighborhoods across the city that have historically been excluded from this growth.“TechRis ha mad  hug impac i m busines an i m professiona network. I referre 10 peopl to th las Nort Lawndal Pitc Competitio, ou of th 10 peopl I referre 3 of thos peopl wer selecte to compet i th competitio. Ou of thos thre peopl, on perso wa th gran priz winne of th competitio an th othe two receive  $5,000 priz. I wil continu to plu i an suppor Tec Ris P33 al th wa!”PROJECT SUMMARY:P33 is an organization of passionate leaders dedicated

cue | 2023 fellows 24to inclusively accelerating Chicago’s tech economy. The P33 Founder’s team focuses on this mission within the city’s venture ecosystem, and its fagship program TechRise hosts weekly pitch competitions for early-stage BIPOC and Woman/Trans/Non-Binary founders across Chicagoand. Since its 2021 aunch, TechRise has hosted nearly 100 pitch competitions (Tune into Season 4 every Friday at Noon!), and the 316 founders who’ve pitched have since raised more than $109M in follow-on-funding, making Chicago the leading city in the nation for fundraising by overlooked early-stage founders. TechRise piloted a neighborhood competition series with 8 pitch competitions focused on North Lawndale entrepreneurs, reinforcing the outsized impact of entrepreneurship as an economic development tool. The 29 North Lawndale founders who’ve pitched on TechRise to-date have since raised nearly $340,000 in follow-on-funding and hired over 100 new employees in the past 3 years. This series underscored the opportunity to amplify the impact of this work by further involving local leaders and organizations in program development, outreach, delivery, and follow-up resources provided through neighborhood-based TechRise competitions. In addition to North Lawndale, 4 additional neighborhoods (Greater Grand Crossing, Englewood, Humboldt Park, and Little Vilage) were identified for this pilot series, specifically based on the strength of already-established local partnerships. TechRise is developing coalitions of locally-based entrepreneurship support systems to co-design pre-competition programming, including recruitment events, pitch workshops, and 1:1 mentorship. Each of the five events will be hosted in-person to service and amplify local businesses and open their doors to an audience including students, family members, community organizations, local investors, and civic leaders. TechRise neighborhood coalitions will curate additional locally relevant opportunities for pitching entrepreneurs to access follow-on funding and capacity-building resources.TechRise is aunching a Pace-Based initiative to ensure the capital, networks, and knowledge of Chicago’s entrepreneurial community are accessible citywide. NEXT STEPS:The project is currently in the ‘coalition-building’ phase, with partners identified across each of the 5 neighborhoods participating in the pilot. The current focus is on founder recruitment and stakeholder mapping. In each of these 5 coalitions, we are developing a founder onboarding process to ensure entrepreneurs are well-supported as they prepare to pitch. We are also working together to identify vendors, leaders, and organizations in each neighborhood who should pay a role in the events. Next steps involve founder selection, pitch preparation, community (audience) outreach, and execution of the four events this Fall. The tentative dates are as follows: 9/27/24- North Lawndale TechRise Competition (in partnership with YWCA Breedlove) 9/23/24- Little Vilage TechRise Competition (in partnership with Inicio Ventures)10/11/24- Humboldt Park TechRise Competition 10/15/24- Englewood TechRise Competition (in partnership with HustleMommies) 10/22/24- Greater Grand Crossing TechRise Pitch CompetitionADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES: Learn more and apply! https://techrise.co/apply/YouTube Channel with all Past Episodes https://www.youtube.com/@TechRiseChicagoLinkedIn @TechRiseChicago Twitter @TechRiseChi

25cue | 2023 fellows MARLY SCHOTTMarly Schott is Manager of Elevated Chicago, a colaboration of public, private and civic organizations promoting equitable Transit Oriented Development (ETOD) across the city. Marly supports leadership, communications and project coordination of the initiative, including reationship management with colaborative members and 100+ partners. Under Marly’s supervision, Elevated Chicago has awarded $2M+ to organizations promoting racial equity, community development, health, arts and culture, and climate resilience in communities of color. Marly began her career in phianthropy in 2015 in the Program Department of The Chicago Community Trust. Prior, Marly worked as a Project Manager in market research, and as a teacher. Marly received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Loyoa University Chicago and Masters of Nonprofit Management from Spertus Institute.ORGANIZATION: Elevated ChicagoTHE CHALLENGE:Chicago is losing its residents of color. Whether due to gentrification or disinvestment, our communities of color are being dispaced. This means we’re not just losing people; we’re losing stories, favors, music, perspectives and creativity. We must be explicit and intentional in protecting the cultural diversity that has always been and continues to be integral to Chicago. The strategy we are developing builds upon Elevated Chicago’s existing work, which supports efforts to center community and culture in development. Our goal is to develop policies and practices that nurture and protect cultural diversity. The Elevated Chicago arts & culture strategy focuses on cultural amplification and protection rooted in community-driven solutions, fostering healing, trust-building, and shifting power. The strategy aligns with Elevated Chicago’s workpan and addresses the three priority areas: People, Pace and Process. By using Equitable Transit-Oriented Development as one at the intersection: arts and culture, community development, and etod

cue | 2023 fellows 26tool for racially equitable community development, we aim to improve outcomes in public health, climate resilience, and cultural vitality. Our approach recognizes that cultural preservation and community empowerment are essential components in creating vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods.“Wha coul ou communitie loo lik if developmen wa centere o communit cultur an histor, le b communit, facilitate b artist an cultur bearer, i collaboratio wit governmen an developer?” PROJECT SUMMARY: The People priority focuses on amplifying The People priority focuses on amplifying resident power and increasing residents’ and artists’ capacity to more deeply engage in decision-making around the built environment. It also supports the development and convening of an artist’s table. This table provides a space for artists to engage in shared learning and problem-solving, share best practices, information, resources and network development. The Pace priority focuses on the built environment, supporting community-led pace-keeping and pace-making efforts, cultural activation through visual and performing arts, and support of a pipeline of 60+ ETODs in incorporating the lens of arts & culture into engagement and design.The Process priority focuses on embedding authentic community engagement and cultural protection strategies into development and government practices and policies. By centering the community and its history, values, aspirations, artistic expressions, the way the people in this particuar pace live, pay, work, augh, move together - its culture, in the development process, we can begin to deepen our understanding and build trust, strengthen and rebuild reationships, and shift decision-making power to the community. This approach ensures that the built environment, and how it is experienced by residents, is a genuine reflection and expression of the community’s cultural legacy and future aspirations.NEXT STEPS:Throughout 2024, Elevated Chicago will be working with artists and creatives to advance the strategy. An artists advisory council will help develop the framework for implementing the strategy and panning for a 2025 full aunch and will be included throughout Elevated’s governance structure. The Artist’s Table will be developed and convened to further shape the strategy implementation and 2025 work. Elevated Chicago will also seek ways to actively engage with government agencies, civic institutions, for-profit and nonprofit developers, and communities to examine how cultural amplification and protection can be supported through policy and be a central element of community engagement and development efforts. ADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:For updates on this project email marly@elevatedchicago.orgFollow us on social media:Facebook: @elevatedchicagoetodInstagram: @elevated_chiLinkedIn: elevatedchiTwitter: @elevated_chiTikTok: @elevatedchicago

27cue | 2023 fellows NNEKA ONWUZURIKENneka Onwuzurike is the First Deputy of Business and Neighborhood Development for the City of Chicago Mayor’s Office. The team’s portfolio includes housing, business development, real estate development, arts & culture, tourism, and digital equity. Nneka is working on the $1.25B Housing and Economic Development bond and is leading Mayor Johnson’s Cut the Tape initiative to streamline and expedite the development approval process.In her previous role, Nneka was the Chicago Recovery Pan Program Manager in the Office of Equity and Racial Justice, where she designed and managed more than $60M in economic recovery programs, including a historic Community Wealth Building initiative that invested in shared ownership models.Nneka Onwuzurike is also a writer, working on a book-length collection of lyric essays and short stories. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis.ORGANIZATION: Office of the Mayor, City of ChicagoTHE CHALLENGEChicago needs more affordable housing and more vibrant commercial corridors across the city. The city currently has longstanding development-reated administrative policies and processes, which significantly influence the types, kinds, and locations of developments built. These policies and processes were developed to advance resident interests, public health, efficient urban ayout, and high-quality design. However, some of these policies and processes, although well-intentioned, can hinder the speed and cost of development.“Th Cit of Chicago need to ge ou of it ow wa.”PROJECT SUMMARY: Mayor Johnson is taking action across three strategies:1. Build Faster – to speed up the pace of development by streamlining approval processes2. Build Everywhere – to allow the development of more housing and businesses in more paces Cut the tape: Reducing City Barriers to Housing and Commercial Development

cue | 2023 fellows 283. Build Together – to partner with public, private, & phianthropic stakeholders to create innovative solutionsTo kick off the Build Faster strategy, on December 11, 2023, Mayor Brandon Johnson signed Executive Order No. 2023-21, which charged 14 City departments to identify key barriers within the housing and commercial development entitlement process that lead to increased timelines, costs, and potential uncertainty. It asked departments to recommend solutions to accelerate approvals and to outline implementation pans with key milestones and metrics for success. Over several months, I led a process where we interviewed more than 100 City Staff across fourteen departments. We did a comparative analysis and looked at six other peer cities (including New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco) to see what best practices exist. Then, we designed focus groups, where about 100 members of the development community gave us concrete recommendations and feedback. Together, we didn’t just talk about the problem. Together, we co-designed solutions. After all that engagement, we had an overwhelming 300 ideas to sift through. With the support of our Departments, we went through each idea meticulously to determine its feasibility, impact, and alignment with our equity goals. This work resulted in more than 100 recommendations categorized in the Cut the Tape report, including making key enhancements in communication and accountability across departments; optimizing City resources to improve staffing levels, technology, and technical assistance; and eliminating redundant steps and burdensome requirements throughout the development process. The report also outlines the top 10 Big Bets, including creating a new Director of Process Improvement role in the Mayor’s Office, initiating expedited reviews for affordable housing projects, adopting transformational zoning changes, and streamlining design reviews..NEXT STEPS:The City of Chicago Mayor’s Office is forming a process improvement task force with approximately 20-30 external stakeholders with experience in residential and/or commercial development. The City is looking for individuals with working knowledge of local development review and entitlement processes, including (but not limited to) zoning, permitting, financial incentives, design review, environmental review, boards & commissions, and more. Key tasks will include: • Strategy: Co-design a multi-year strategic pan• Implementation: Support City staff in addressing policy and program barriers• Accountability: Help identify key metrics to measure success; review monthly internal report to monitor pan goals• Education: Educate City staff on industry challenges and national best practices• Ambassador: Raise awareness and promote the program’s mission and equity-reated goals to different audiencesADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:Learn more by visiting: http://www.chicago.gov/CutTheTape

29cue | 2023 fellows SONSERIYA WILLIAMSBorn and raised on the south -side of Chicago, my professional experience includes working both in the not-for-profit sector and at Chicago Public Schools. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Missouri- Columbia and a Master’s of Public Administration in Public Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. During my time at Chicago Public Schools I focused on strategic pans for diverse learner supports designed to address deficit areas in inclusion, instruction, and disciplinary practices. Currently, I work to improve the Quality of Life for Englewood and West Englewood (EQLI) residents through direct services and community- building efforts.ORGANIZATION: Teamwork Englewood THE CHALLENGE:Currently, residents who reside between Halsted and Ashand do not have accessible access to transit. The challenge in this project is simiar to challenges we see across grassroots organizing. Once the community has spoken, who moves the needle? It is important to garner as much support as we can within the community, across the city, with elected officials, and most importantly, bring more resources, funding, and opportunities to transit-oriented development.“Whe communit voice ar hear an radica investment ar mad,  thrivin an self-sustainin communit emerge.”PROJECT SUMMARY: The movement to reopen the Green Line station at 63rd and Racine is a community-driven effort to bring economic reinvestment green light the green line: Revitalizing community through equitable transit-oriented development

cue | 2023 fellows 30to the area. This campaign focused on creating opportunities for education and advocacy. Community members have engaged in listening sessions around the transformation of vacant spaces, recaiming existing community assets, and the creation of a concentrated investment strategy. These sessions came after our victory in February 2023, where residents showed their support by voting YES, with 93% in favor of a referendum question to reopen the closed station. The support at the polls provides a testament to the solidarity and determination to create a better future for themselves and their neighbors. Since then, we have been working diligently to find funding, advocate with city officials, and create more awareness across the City of Chicago.In 1994, the Chicago Transit Authority closed the stop for renovation and line improvements but never reopened. What was once promised as an updated station was left blighted. Despite ongoing efforts from community leaders, Chicago’s history of redlining, racial inequity, discrimination, and ack of investment created a problem that limited Englewood residents’ transportation access. When economic development is limited in neighborhoods, resilience is built, and people come together to determine their efficacy. From this, the Go Green on Racine project was born. It is a resident-led transformation around the 63rd and Racine area, creating a hub and centering food access, transit access, business incubation, public safety, and creative pacemaking to attract various avenues for investment. The Go Green on Racine project is just one of many inspirational examples across the city of how communities can take control of their development. With a reopened train service at the Racine corridor, it promises an economic uptick, serving a growing popuation and business needs, driving economic development further along 63rd Street. This project aims to be an inspiring example of how equitable transit development can produce social and economic benefits for neighborhoods.NEXT STEPS:• Getting the feasibility study conducted• Hosting more community engagements• Creating an ETOD coalition for the project• Tapping into existing ETOD initiatives• Facilitate key meetings with city, state and federal representativesWhile continuing to grow economic vibrancy at the corridor and along 63rd Street from Halsted to Ashand.ADDITIONAL MATERIALSAND RESOURCES:Sign the online petition:https://www.change.org/p/sign-this-petition-so-we-can-green-light-the-63rd-racine-green-line-stop-let-s-work-to-get-this-stop-reopenedFollow the hashtags on social media #GreenLightTheGreenLine #GoGreenOnRacine #OhThePacesYoullGoFollow us on social media @TeamworkEnglewood and Go Green on Racine

31cue | 2023 fellows We would like to recognize JPMorgan Chase & Co. for their generous sponsorship of the 2023 Equity Paybook and the CUE Fellowship Showcase.The CUE Fellowship is made possible with grant support from the Albert Pick Jr. Fund, Field Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Julian Grace Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, McCormick Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation, Square One Foundation, The Chicago Community Trust, Walder Foundation, Woods Fund, and individual donors like you.Visit chicagounitedforequity.org to learn more, stay connected, and invest in a just, equitable, and inclusive Chicago.

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