BRONZEVILLE — The Triibe, a Chicago-based news site focused on covering black millennials, will host two aldermanic forums this month to question candidates on issues affecting the city’s youth.
The events, one for 20th Ward candidates and one for 3rd Ward candidates, will be moderated by Triibe editor-in-chief Tiffany Walden.
Racial profiling, safety and unemployment, issues that have long affected the city’s young population, will be among the topics discussed at both forums.
The first forum, held in partnership with Triibe, South Side Weekly and Good Kids Mad City, will focus on the 20th Ward race. The forum is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave.
What was once a 15-person race for the 20th Ward has narrowed to nine, all of whom have agreed to attend. They are: former educator Nicole Johnson, pastor Denard Newell, entrepreneur Anthony Driver, Chicago police officer Jennifer Maddox, organizer Jeanette Taylor, CHA project manager Maya Hodari, Chicago Against Violence founder Andre Smith, estate attorney Quandra Speights and ward committeeman Kevin Bailey, who recently drew criticism for challenging the nomination petitions of nearly all the opponents on the ballot.
The candidates all hope to replace current Ald. Willie Cochran, who is awaiting trial on corruption charges and not seeking re-election.
The competition for the 3rd Ward seat is much smaller, with policy analyst Alexandria Willis the lone challenger against incumbent Ald. Pat Dowell, who has held the office for 12 years. The 3rd Ward aldermanic forum is scheduled from noon to 2 p..m. Feb. 23 at Hartzell Memorial United Methodist Church, 3330 South King Drive.
Walden says that the 20th Ward forum will focus on jobs, community investment, and education.
“We hope the aldermanic candidates will touch on TIFs, job creation, the impact of the Obama Library and more,” Walden said. “And we hope to hear the candidates’ views on the school closures in Englewood, an elected school board, and more.”
Good Kids Mad City member Assata Lewis said, “I hope the youth will gain the truth about the power of the people.
“The people are demanding and shining a light on the truth about who is running for alderman. I think it shows that no election is too small to vote in, that we have so much power to impact change, and that we make them nervous, because we envision a world that is worth fighting for and nothing less,” Lewis said.
“We want an alderman who isn’t going to take from the community or help push us out of our homes but an alderman that will grow the community and assist in the reinvestment of our black and brown communities; true investment. So we will ask the hard questions.”
Both events are free and open to the public.
For more information on the upcoming elections, visit chi.vote.