The mayor of the City of Chicago, Lori E. Lightfoot along with First Lady Amy Eshleman, the Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Library, Amazon, and community-based groups around the city join together to launch the first Summer Kickback Series on Friday, July 9, 2021. Youth in the Chicagoland area will benefit from this program.
This strategy supplies safe places, programs, and other chances for Chicago youth, ages 14 to 19 in 15 communities on the south and west sides. The Summer Kickback Series is the newest contribution of My CHI. My Future (MCMF). This is an effort of the city to connect youth with safe and pleasing spaces throughout 15 neighborhoods within the South and West sides.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot says,
Bridging our youth with safe, attractive, and empowering opportunities over the summer is crucial to supplying every viable avenue to success. The Summer Kickback Series builds upon MCMF’s endeavors to promote young Chicagoans’ professional success leading to productive futures. I am also excited to see that this approach builds upon our attempt to continue supporting vaccinations against COVID-19 and takes advantage of our all-hands-on-deck method to public safety.
The Summer Kickback Series provides teens two ways to participate. Each of the 15 community-based groups will employ 10-20 teens and two young adults as a Kickback Street Team.
Within nine weeks, the team will “promote and host youth-focused activities and vaccine advocacy initiatives.”
Participants will be trained online as Vaccine Ambassadors at Malcolm X College. They will receive extra training through the park district to motivate community members to stay COVID-safe and get vaccinated.
The revenue to hire up to 238 teens and young adults was provided by an unknown donor and is being administered by the Chicago Parks Foundation.
The Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO Michael Kelly stated:
The Chicago Park District is happy to help bring opportunities clearly designed to engage and help young residents living in communities most in need. The Summer Kickback Series is created to do just that. These circumstances will give teens a chance to connect in a safe, engaging atmosphere to enjoy all the things teens love most – food, music, technology, and of course being together with their peers.
All young people in Chicago proper have an opportunity to explore their interest in things they love to do outside of the classroom, said First Lady Eshleman. “We are committed to ensuring all youth are connected to meaningful opportunities this summer and beyond — leveraging community assets and the City’s resources to build positive futures for themselves and their communities.”
Written by Sharri Rogers
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Chicago: Mayor Lori Lightfoot Joins Youth to Kickoff One Summer Chicago Jobs Program; by Office of the Mayor
Chicago Sun-Times: ‘Summer Kickback Series’ starts for youth on South and West sides
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of raymondclarkeimages’ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Goodread Bio’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
