Things like this is always great news. After reading that 92% of young black males in Chicago are unemployed, the Chicago Urban League connected with Common and Kanye West’s Donda’s House charity organization – which is run by Rhymefest and his wife – to help create 1,000 year round jobs, as well as over 20,000 summer jobs.
The partnership, which will include a music festival fundraiser this summer, was spawned by feedback from teens at the end of annual summer job programs such as One Summer Chicago, which Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Wednesday would offer 22,000 youth jobs this summer.
“Every year, we hold a hearing where young people in the summer jobs programs come and talk about the impact the jobs had on their lives. But this year, it highlighted another issue we just haven’t focused on,” said Andrea Zopp, president and and CEO of the Urban League.
“And that was that their need for a job doesn’t end in September. They have needs to support their families, take care of themselves. They want to work year-round. So in our community, we have to focus on that topic,” Zopp said.
You can read the rest of the announcement on the Chicago Sun Times’ website. But seeing things like this – like Drake fulfilling a dream of one of his biggest fans – is always heartwarming, and I wish I saw more of this (I’m sure things like this happen all the time, but go un-publicized as well).
