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Κυριακή 14 Μαΐου 2023

Barack Obama:Here’s what I was up to in Chicago


 
Hi there,

Earlier this week, I made a trip home to Chicago to hear firsthand from some of the inspiring young people and leaders who are a part of Obama Foundation programming. 

From meeting in a church I first visited as a young man, to joining the MBK Alliance for a timely conversation, check out this recap video of my visit. 
 
President Obama casually shakes hands with a young Black man with medium skin who wears a black shirt with colorful stripes. Other young men of medium-deep skin tones looks on and smiles.

On Wednesday, I was proud to help the MBK Alliance celebrate four communities that are doing extraordinary work to address the persistent opportunity gaps young boys and men of color face with real, measurable impact. 

The cities of Newark, Omaha, Tulsa, and Yonkers, in partnership with organizations on the ground, are making strides to reduce violence, raise graduation rates, and increase school attendance for students of all ages. 

With access to education and mentorship in environments free from violence, these young people are getting a fair shot to live up to their fullest potential. This work is urgent and these communities are setting an example for cities across the country. 
 
President Obama, Ashley Philippsen, Mayor Ras Baraka, Willie Barney, and Superintendent Edwin Quezada sit in tall, white chairs on a stage, each holding microphones. They are a range of medium to dark skin tones and wear assorted formal wear. A screen behind them reads “Impact in Action.”

I also stopped by Lilydale First Baptist Church on the South Side—where my organizing career began—to meet with Pastor Alvin Love, as well as Obama Foundation Scholars ahead of their graduation. 

Pastor Love and I shared some advice with these leaders, who are graduating from the University of Chicago and Columbia University, as they prepare to put the knowledge they’ve gained to work in their own communities. 
 
In a brightly-lit room with piping and a small basement window, President Obama is seated in a chair next to Pastor Love, a Black man with deep skin. They both face a small crowd of men and women with a range of skin tones, who are listening.
Watch Now!

They give me hope for the future. I look forward to seeing what they achieve in the coming years, and I know you probably do, too.

Thanks for being a part of this work. 

—Barack

 
 

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