09/26/2026
Our work made the Chicago Sun-Times. 🗞️
And honestly, what makes me most proud isn’t just seeing M3 in the newspaper. It’s what the story is about.
During Downtown Day, we asked Chicago teenagers a simple question: If you had $50,000 to invest in Chicago, where would you put it?
We didn’t want adults answering for them. We wanted to hear directly from young people.
121 teens responded. Nearly 20% said jobs. About 15% said businesses and retail. Nearly half pointed toward South Side communities, and about 35% pointed toward the West Side.
Education, housing, mental health resources and recreation were also priorities. That’s data. That’s youth voice. And that’s why I love what we do.
Downtown Day brought 1,000 Chicago teenagers downtown for a day of exposure, exploration and experiences. But we also used that day to listen.
A LOT of work goes into Downtown Day. Planning, fundraising, transportation, volunteers, youth development, partnerships and all the things people never see behind the scenes. I’m proud of my team for pulling this off.
And I’m especially proud that we didn’t just give young people something to do for a day. We asked them what they would do with the resources to change their own communities. Now their answers are in the newspaper. Young people aren’t just the future. They’re telling us what Chicago needs right now.
Go grab a copy of the Chicago Sun-Times today. 🗞️ Proud of my team. Proud of our young people. Let’s keep listening. Please keep supporting our work. Donation link in bio!!
