CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIFTH THIRD BANK AND BY THE SUPPORT OF THESE DONORS.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO CHICAGO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, I AM ANGEL IDOWU.

BRANDIS FREEMAN HAS THE EVENING OFF.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US.

ON THE SHOW TONIGHT AN EFFORT TO PLANT MORE TREES IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.

WE WILL LOOK AT THE UNEVEN TREE DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT CHICAGO AND HOW THAT PUTS SOME NEIGHBORHOODS AT RISK.

>>> A NEW MOVIE SHINING LIGHT ON THE HISTORY OF A RACIAL PASSING.

THE CHICAGO TIES AND WHY IT STILL RESONATES TODAY.

>>> THE LOCAL CREATOR OF A HIT NETFLIX SERIES AND A LOCAL HISTORIAN TAKE US TO THE SOUTH SIDE FOR A CHICAGO HISTORY LESSON.

>> THIS HAS TO DO WITH TENSING YOUR MUSCLES TO THE MUSIC.

IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

>> A CHICAGO POPPER SHARES THE DANCE MOVES HE HAS BEEN DOING FOR DECADES.

>>> FIRST OFF TONIGHT CHICAGO IS SET TO INVEST $46 MILLION IN TREEPLANTING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT SAID THE CITY WILL LAND 75,000 TREES AND PRIORITIZE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

TREES CAN HELP IMPROVE AIR QUALITY, REDUCE FLOODING AND OFFER SEVERAL OTHER HEALTH BENEFITS AND SOCIAL BENEFITS AS WELL.

THE DISTRIBUTION OF TREES THROUGHOUT CHICAGO IS FAR FROM EACH WILL.

ACCORDING TO DATA FROM A 2,020 TREE CENSUS BY THE CHICAGO REGION TREES INITIATIVE THE TREE CANOPY COVERAGE IN CHICAGO IS 16 PERCENT OR NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF CANOPY COVERAGE CAN BE FOUND ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDE HERE JOINING US NOW WITH MORE ARE LYDIA SCOTT DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO REGION TREES INITIATIVE.

LILLIAN HOLDEN FROM OPEN LAND A CHICAGO NONPROFIT THAT FOCUSES ON FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE AND PRESERVING NATURE.

CHERYL JOHNSON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE FOR COMMUNITY RECOVERY, ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY GROUPS IN THE GARDEN HOMES ON CHICAGO'S FAR SOUTH SIDE.

LYDIA, I WOULD LOVE TO START WITH YOU.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO US WHAT TREE CANOPY COVERAGE IS AND THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT?

>> TREE CANOPY IS THE UPPER PORTION OF THE TREE WHERE THE LEAVES ARE AND THE LEAVES ARE WHAT CREATES THE BENEFIT FOR US AND IT WHAT INTERCEPTS POLLUTION, REDUCE TEMPERATURES BY COOLING THE AIR AROUND THEM AND THE TREES THEMSELVES FUNCTION AS ENVIRONMENTAL MID AGAINST FOR SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPERIENCE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT'S THE CANOPY SO THE LARGER THE TREES THE MORE BENEFIT THAT TREE PROVIDES.

>> I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR RESEARCH AND WORK WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT HOW TREES ARE DISTURBED AT THROUGHOUT THE CITY?

>> IN ADDITION TO THE TREES THAT GAVE US INFORMATION ON THE DECLINE OF CANOPY IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, WE ALSO DID LIDAR ANALYSIS AND LIDAR IS IMAGERY THAT IS FLOWN AND PICKS UP INDIVIDUAL TREES.

WE KNOW WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL TREES ACROSS THE CHICAGO METRO AREA ARE LOCATED.

WE HAVE LOADED THAT INFORMATION INTO AN ONLINE INTERACTIVE MAP AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND IT ENABLES INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO GO ON AND SEE WERE CANOPIES ARE LOCATED.

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THESE BENEFITS THAT I TALKED ABOUT ALREADY, AIR QUALITY, HEAT, FLOODING AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IS A METRIC THAT WE ALSO INCLUDED IN THEIR.

WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHERE THE CANOPY IS LOCATED AND WHERE WE SEE HIGH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE IMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND WE CAN ALSO SEE WHERE WE HAVE INCREASED HEAT AND POOR AIR QUALITY AND WE SEE A CORRELATION BETWEEN REDUCED CANOPY AND ADVERSE IMPACTS WE CAN EXPERIENCE SUCH AS INCREASED HEAT AND POOR AIR QUALITY.

THAT ENABLES US TO FOCUS OUR WORK AND SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH OUR PARTNERS AND ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED SO THAT THEY CAN FOCUS THEIR WORK TO HAVE AN IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO THESE CHALLENGES.

>> LILLIAN, OPEN LAND WORKS TO GROW THE TREE CANOPY HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU ALL DOING THAT AND CAN YOU TOUCH A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHY GROWING TREES IS A PRIORITY.

>> WE HAVE THREE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO GROWING TREES WITHIN THE ILLINOIS REGION.

FIRST, WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMPONENT WHERE WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO TREES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY TREE PLANTERS GRANT.

WE ALSO TEACH COMMUNION MEMBERS HOW TO MAKE AND MAINTAIN TREES AND PLANT TREES THROUGH OUR TREE KEEPERS PROGRAM.

I AM A TREE KEEPER AND SO, JUST TO SPEAK UPON HOW DIVERSE THE TREE POPULATION IS.

AND SECOND, WE ALSO HAVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT JOB READINESS.

WE HAVE AN ARBORIST REGISTER APPRENTICESHIP WHICH IS A THREE YEAR PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF BRINGING JOBS.

IT HELPS GROW OUR REGIONS TREE CANOPY WHILE ALSO HAVING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ALLEVIATING CHICAGO'S YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND PROVIDING WELL-PAYING JOBS.

AND THEN THIRD, WE HAVE A TREE INITIATIVE.

SO, WE DO THINGS LIKE PARTNER WITH DIVERSE ORGANIZATIONS ON ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO TEACH COMMUNITY-BASED MIGRATION AND PRUNING.

WE HAVE OUR URBAN FORESTRY ADVISORY BOARD AND WE TALK TO THE OTTOMANS FOR MORAL SUPPORT.

>> IN YOUR WORK HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY INEQUITIES AND HOW TREES ARE DISTORTED PARTICULARLY IN MAYBE CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS RECEIVING MORE OR LESS?

>> DEFINITELY.

WHEN IT COMES TO DISPARITIES IN TREE CANOPIES THERE IS A DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TREE CANOPIES ON THE NORTH SIDE VERSUS THE SOUTH SIDE.

TREES ARE A PART OF OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND IT SHOWS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

THE PERSPECTIVES AROUND TREES IN THE COMMUNITIES AS WE VIEW TREES MAY BE POSITIVE WHEN THERE'S ALSO THE FLIPSIDE WHERE THERE IS AN INVESTMENT AND AWARENESS TOWARDS THE BENEFITS OF TREES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

CHERYL JOHNSON, WE KNOW TREES ARE GREAT RESOURCE TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND ACCORDING TO CHICAGO'S 2,020 AIR LUCIAN REPORT THE MOST POLLUTED NEIGHBORHOODS CAN BE FOUND ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDE.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE MAP THE WORST AREAS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.

HOW WOULD YOU SAY POLLUTION HAS AFFECTED YOUR COMMUNITY AND ITS RESIDENTS?

>> HAS A MAJOR NEGATIVE IMPACT IN MY COMMUNITY AND THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT STARTED YESTERDAY.

WE ARE GOING BACK AS FAR AS THE 1860S WITH THE CONTAMINATION WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL AREA.

THESE WERE ISSUES THAT WERE BUILT ON THE SLUDGE LANDFILL.

WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT GROWING TREES WE HAD THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF SOME OF THESE OLD TREES IN PARTICULAR THAT COULD LIVE FOR FOR 500 YEARS AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE HALF TIME OF THEIR LIFE.A LOT OF THEIR TREES DO NOT SURVIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE ABUNDANCE OF POLLUTANTS IN THE AIR.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT MOSTLY TIMES IT HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMERTIME BECAUSE MOST NEIGHBORHOODS, POOR NEIGHBORHOODS PARTICULARLY BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO DO NOT HAVE TREES.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ACCESSIBILITY TO MANY OF THE PROGRAMS OUT THERE TO ALLOW THE COMMUNITY TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF TREES, PRUNING TREES FOR EXAMPLE OR JUST GETTING A TREE CARD FROM OPEN LAND.

YOU HAVE TO BE OPTIMISTIC TO SAY IN THIS WORTH WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR QUALITY ALL THE TIME IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HUMAN HEALTH, IT IS ABOUT OUR WHOLE ECOSYSTEM IN THE AREA AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR TREES.

>> HOW DO YOU SEE THIS INVESTMENT IN TREES HELPING THIS NEIGHBORHOOD?

>> AESTHETICALLY IT IS GOING TO MAKE IT LOOK A WHOLE LOT BETTER.

YOU KNOW?

IT IS ALL CONTINGENT UPON IF IT IS NOT A VACANT HOME WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING THESE NEW TREES.

I THINK THAT NOT ONLY DO TREES PLAY A MAJOR ROLE BUT PHOTOSYNTHESIS THAT IT CREATES FROM THESE TREES IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.

SO, YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH PLANTING TREES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

CHERYL, I HATE TO CUT IT THERE BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU, LILLIAN AND LYDIA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME.

>> UP NEXT A NEW MOVIE EXPLORES THE PRACTICE OF RACIAL PASSING, WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY.

>> THE NEW NETFLIX MOVIE PASSING IS CENTERED AROUND TWO BLACK WOMEN WHO CAN PASS AS WHITE BUT TAKE DIFFERENT PATHS.

ONE CHOOSING TO LIVE AS WHITE AND THE OTHER IN BLACK.

THE IN THE 1920S IN THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE THE FILM IS AN ADAPTATION OF THE 19 TO 9 NOVEL BY CHICAGO AUTHOR NELLA LARSEN PAID SHE WAS BORN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO TO IMMIGRANT PARENTS PAY HER MOTHER WAS FROM DENMARK AND HIS FATHER WAS WEST INDIAN.

BEING MIXED-RACE HERSELF SHE STRUGGLED WITH HER RACE IDENTITY TURNING THAT EXPERIENCE INTO A NOVEL.

JOINING US WITH MORE NOW ARE DANIELLE SANDERS MANAGING EDITOR AT THE CHICAGO DEFENDER.

CAROLE BELL, WHO WROTE THE BOOK REVIEW OF PASSING FOR MPR.

LADIES, INCORPORATED YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

I WANT TO JUMP IN.

DANIELLE SANDERS I WANT TO ASK WHEN VIEWERS NOTICE WHEN YOU THEY TURN ON THE MOVIE IT IS IN BLACK-AND-WHITE.

WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHT ON THIS PROJECTION CHOICE?

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS PERFECT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS BEAUTIFULLY SHOT.

IT ACTUALLY HELPS TO SHOW AMBIGUITY.

EVERYTHING IS NOT ALWAYS BLACK-AND-WHITE.

SOMETIMES THERE ARE SHADES OF GRAY.

AT THAT THAT REALLY TIED INTO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE BOOK AWAY THEY SHOT IT.

1920S HARLEM, YOU DO FOR.

>> THAT IS SO INTERESTING.

I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT ONLY BECAUSE IT CAN BE A LITTLE HARD TO PERCEIVE.

I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND SHOW A CLIP FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE MOVIE.

IT IS AN EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN, IRENE AND CLAIRE AND CLAIRE'S HUSBAND.

LET'S LISTEN.

>> AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS WHAT IS A MATTER THAT THEY FOUND OUT I WAS ONLY TWO PERCENT COLORED?

>> YOU CAN BE AS BLACK AS YOU PLEASE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

SO YOU DISLIKE NEGROES?

>> NOT AT ALL.

I HATE THEM.

>> CAROL, THERE IS A VERY OBVIOUS TENSION THAT IS BEING FELT HERE.

WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE SCENE?

>> I LOVE THAT SCENE.

I THOUGHT IT WAS WELL TRANSLATED.

THERE ARE PARTS OF THIS FILM THAT I THINK DON'T TRANSLATE THE FEAR AND ANXIETY AND ATTENTION QUITE AS MUCH AS THE BOOK.

THIS PARTICULAR SCENE I THOUGHT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

ALEXANDER HAS THAT VERY STRANGE COMBINATION OF CHARM AND MENACE.

RIGHT?

THIS UNDERLYING THAT HE CAN BE SO CHARMING AND SO CASUAL AND SUCH A THREAT.

YOU KNOW?

IRENE PLAYED BY TESSA THOMPSON IS IMMEDIATELY OF COURSE PUT ON EASE AND EN GARDE WHEREAS CLAIRE PLAYED BY RUTH NECKER IS SMILING AWAY AND I LOVE THE CULMINATION IN THAT SCENE.

>> THERE'S ANOTHER THEME THAT THE MOVIE EXPLORES THE COMES WITH RACIAL PASSING.

LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO A SCENE IN THE MOVIE WHERE CLAIRE TALKS ABOUT THE LONELINESS THAT SHE FEELS.

>> YOU CAN'T IMAGINE WITHOUT THAT DAY I WOULD'VE GOTTEN TO THE END AND UNABLE TO.

>> Guest: ANYONE.

YOU CAN'T KNOW.

NEVER ANYONE TO REALLY TALK TO.

>> IT WAS INSENSITIVE TO NOT THINK ABOUT THAT.

>> I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO UNDERSTAND.

YOU ARE HAPPY.

YOU HAVE A TRUE GOOD LIFE AND YOU ARE FREE AND SAFE.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS ANYMORE.

>> DANIELLE SANDERS CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE INNER STRUGGLE SHE SPEAKS ABOUT IN THIS SCENE?

>> I LOVE WHAT THIS FILM DID WHICH WAS SHOW NOT JUST THE ISOLATION AND LONELINESS THAT ONE WOULD FEEL WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO ACTUALLY LEAVE FAMILY, LEAVE THEIR CULTURE AND THEIR IDENTITY.

IT IS NOT JUST THE LONELINESS AND ISOLATION IT IS FEAR.

SHE IS A GENUINE FEAR OF SOME OF THE BASIC THINGS THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED EVEN SUCH AS HAVING A CHILD.

THE AMOUNT OF RELIEF SHE FELT FOR GIVING BIRTH TO A CHILD IN THE FEAR THAT COMES WITH THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING ANOTHER ONE.

LIVING THAT LIFE OF CONSTANT WORRY OF FEELING LIKE YOU WOULD BE FOUND OUT OR EXPOSED HAD TO BE TERRIFYING.

THE LONGING OF SOMETHING AUTHENTIC, THE LONGING SHE MENTIONS IT SEVERAL TIMES DEALING SAFE.YOU ARE FREE AND YOU ARE SAFE.

SO, THE IDEA THAT PASSING SOMEHOW MADE BLACK PEOPLE SAFER IN SOCIETY IS REALLY TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN YOU REALLY ARE YOUR YOU AREN'T SAFE AS A BLACK PERSON LIVING BLACK AND YOU WEREN'T SAFE AS A BLACK PERSON LIVING AS A WHITE PERSON.

YOUR FEARS WERE DIFFERENT AND ROOTED IN DIFFERENT THINGS BUT YOU WERE ALWAYS CONSTANTLY EN GARDE AND SCARED OF BEING FOUND OUT.

THEN HAS TO BE INCREDIBLY LONELY AND ISOLATING BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CONNECTION TO YOUR CULTURE AT ALL.

>> I HATE THAT WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SO MUCH WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN REGARDS TO THIS FILM BUT I DO WANT TO ADD, CAROLE BELL THE FILM WAS SET IN THE 20S BUT I COULD ARGUE THAT PEOPLE COULD STILL RESONATE WITH EXPERIENCES TODAY.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOTE ON THAT?

>> I THINK WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH RACIAL TURMOIL.

OBVIOUSLY WE ALWAYS HAVE HAD SYSTEMIC RACISM BUT FOR A WHILE, BEFORE THE 2000'S THERE WAS THIS STRANGE TIME OF A LOT OF THINGS BEING OPPRESSED AND OBVIOUSLY NOW IN THE PAST 10 YEARS A LOT OF THAT TENSION IS REALLY AT THE SURFACE.

I THINK A MOVIE LIKE PASSING THAT IS SO ABOUT RACIAL TENSION JUST BELOW THE SURFACE THAT IS THERE, READY TO BUBBLE UP AND CREATE INCREDIBLE POTENTIAL VIOLENCE, POTENTIAL FEAR, POTENTIAL LOSS, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN RELATE TO BECAUSE WE HAVE LIVED THROUGH.

LIKE THAT AND I THINK WE ARE GRAPPLING WITH THE REALITY THAT IT HAS BROUGHT UP NOW IN A MORE OPEN WAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

A LOT OF PARALLELS TO THE FILM IN THE 1920S AND TODAY.

HATE TO WRAP RIGHT HERE BUT OUR THANKS TO CAROLE BELL AND DANIELLE SANDERS TO THINK YOU LADIES.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT TO CHICAGO SOCIAL MEDIA STARS TO HER ONE OF THE SOUTH SIDES MOST PROMINENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> ONE OF CHICAGO'S MOST BELOVED TWITTER PERSONALITIES WENT NATIONAL LAST SEPTEMBER WITH A PREMIERE OF A NETFLIX SERIES, CHICAGO PARTY AND.

IT IS BASED OFF OUTRAGEOUS FICTIONAL TWITTER ACCOUNT PARTY AUNT DILLA.

THIS IS BEEN IN THE CITY'S WEST SUBURBS.

IT WASN'T UNTIL HIS OLDER YEARS AND HE MOVED INTO THE CITIES THAT HE BEGAN EXPORTING THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS SEEN IN THE SHOW BUT MANY PARTS OF THE CITY HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT.

I DECIDED TO CALL UP ANOTHER CHICAGO SOCIAL MEDIA STAR, LOCAL HISTORIAN SHERMAN THOMAS TO GIVE US A VIEW OF CHICAGO'S SOUTH SIDE MOST PROMINENT NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> FROM SOLDIERS FIELD, THE CHICAGO'S PLACES ARE PRIMARILY HIGHLIGHTING THE CITY'S NORTH SIDE BUT ACROSS TOWN ON 75TH ST. IS ANOTHER CHICAGO ENTITY THAT EXPLORES EVERY DATE GETTING A 12 PM SHARP.

LYNN'S BARBECUE.

>> LOCATED IN WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS DOWNTOWN CHATHAM BUT TECHNICALLY IN RATER GRAND CROSSING, THIS IS A SOUTHSIDE STAPLE AND HAS BEEN FEEDING CHICAGOANS SINCE THE 1950S.

THE GOODNESS THAT CHATHAM OFFERS DOESN'T END THERE.

IT EXPAND THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE DECIDED TO TAKE A TOUR AND ENDED UP ON THE FRONT PORCH OF A CLASSIC CHICAGO BUNGALOW.

>> I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THEY SMOKE IT WITH WOOD BURNING FIRE EVERY SINGLE MORNING.

IT WAS COOL.

I NEVER REALLY COME DOWN HERE SO IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE A PIECE OF HISTORY FROM THIS SIDE OF TOWN.

>> HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS A NEIGHBORHOOD HISTORIAN AND HE AGREES.

>> RIGHT NOW WERE SITTING IN THE PART OF THE BUNGALOW ROGERS PARK AND A LOT OF PLACES CREATED BUNGALOWS BECAUSE IT WAS A NEW AVAILABLE HOUSING HERE.

>> HE'S RECENTLY GAINED POPULARITY ON TIKTOK FOR HIS CREATIVE BREAKDOWN OF CHICAGO'S HISTORY.

>> CHATHAM SAW THE CONSTRUCTION OF CHICAGO'S BUNGALOWS AS WELL AS VERY LARGE APARTMENTS.

CHATHAM IS FULL OF UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE, HOWEVER, CHATHAM LIKE SOME OTHER CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS WERE UNDER RACIAL RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS WHICH PRINTED FROM AFRICAN-AMERICANS FROM MOVING IN.

CHATHAM IS HOME TO SOME REALLY DOPE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMPANIES THAT HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD.

>> AT ONE POINT THERE WERE TWO DOZEN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MILLIONAIRES LIVING IN CHATHAM.

PEOPLE WHO COME FROM HERE.

THE GUYS WHO MADE THE JERRY KROLL LIKE THE CHEMICAL IN LA BUT HIS WHOLE TEAM COMES FROM CHICAGO TO.

>> HE SAID THIS TO HER HELP THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW CONNECTED THE CITY IS AS A WHOLE.

HOOPS TO BREAK THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD MISCONCEPTIONS AND BARRIERS WITH HIS MAIN CHARACTER THERE DIANE IN THE COMING SEASON OF HIS NETFLIX SHOW.

>> CHICAGO IS A CITY OF NEIGHBORHOODS WHAT HAPPENS A LOT OF TIMES IS YOU SAY IN YOUR POCKET, YOU STAY IN YOUR BUBBLE.

AND SO, COMING DOWN HERE AND SEEING THIS, THIS STREET YOU COULD FIND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO PEERED A LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME, YOU KNOW?

SO, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS COOL FOR ME TO COME AND EXPERIENCE HOW SIMILAR IT IS.

>> DIANE PROBABLY GREW UP LIKE IN BEVERLY OR BRIDGEPORT OR SOME YOU KNOW?

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY THAT ON TWITTER LIKE SHE IS A SOUTHSIDE OR.

>> I THINK WE ARE BEST WHEN THE DIANA PARTY COMES TO THE SOUTHSIDE AND VISITED JEROME.

I THINK THAT WHEN CHICAGO IS AT ITS BEST BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE INTERSECTION MALADIES RIGHT LIKE THE PARTY AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE HER NAME ISN'T DIANE, IT'S PROBABLY KEISHA.

>> VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AUNT DILLA EDUCATIONAL TO BOX.

IT IS NOW STREAMING ON NETFLIX.

MAC UP NEXT WE INTRODUCE YOU TO A LOCAL ARTIST WITH SOME POPPING DANCE MOVES.

STAY WITH US.

>> A FEW WEEKS AGO WE INTRODUCE YOU TO A VIOLINIST WHO IS ONE OF DOZENS OF CHICAGO ARTISTS RECEIVING CASH GRANT TO PURSUE THEIR CAREER.

THIS WEEK WE ARE FEATURING AN ARTIST WITH A DANCE STYLE THAT STARTED IN THE LATE 60S BUT HAS EVOLVED THROUGH THE DECADES.

>> MY NAME IS CHARLES "POPPIN' CHUCK" BLEDSOE.

[MUSIC] POPPING HAS TO DO WITH TENSING YOUR MUSCLES TO THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC.

IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

YOU STOP INTENSE INTENSE RELAX TENSE AND RELAX.

WHEN I WAS A KID I STARTED OFF WITH WHAT IS CALLED LOCKING AND THAT WAS IN 1,973.

I WAS FIVE.

I STARTED DOING THAT AND THEN THERE WAS ONE DANCER IN THAT GROUP, CALLED CAMPO LOCKING IN DANCER WAS A ROBOT.

HIS NAME WAS CHARLES ROBOT WASHINGTON AND HE HAD A GROUP.

IN CHICAGO IN 1,957 CALLED THE ROBOT BROTHERS.

WHEN HE CAME ON THE SCENE NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN IT BEFORE.

WHEN PEOPLE SOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS LIKE OH MAN THAT'S THE MOST AMAZING DANCE AND THEY WOULD DO IT AT PARTIES AND YOU WOULD SEE IT ON SOUL TRAIN BECAUSE THEY PERFORMED ON SOUL TRAIN.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE RESPONSE YOU GET FROM THE CROWD BECAUSE THING IS THAT I AM AN OLDER PERSON SO USUALLY THEY SEE YOUNGER KIDS DOING OUR DANCES LIKE OH I SAW THE KIDS DO IT AND SAY NO, I'M 54 YEARS OLD.

WE BEEN DOING THIS A WHILE.

AND THESE GUYS SAY YOU'RE SO LIMBER AND YOU CAN STILL DO THE DANCE.

AND YET BECAUSE WE LOVE THE DANCE AND WE BEEN DOING IT SINCE WE WERE 12.

I LIKE ATTENTION BUT I ALSO LIKE THE INSPIRATION THAT I GET FOR THE KIDS.

AND THEY ARE LIKE WOW, THAT WAS COOL, HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

BECAUSE THAT WAS ME WHEN I WAS A KID LIKE HOW DID YOU DO THAT?

THAT WAS SO AWESOME.

I LOVE THE INSPIRATION I GIVE TO THE KIDS.

>> POPPIN' CHUCK RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE CHICAGO BASED GRANTS.

IT SUPPORTS WOMEN, WOMEN OF COLOR AND DISABLED ARTISTS IN THE CHICAGO AREA.

THERE ARE SHOW THIS WEEKEND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.com/NEWS FOR THE VERY LATEST FROM WTTW NEWS INCLUDING THE LATEST ON THE MURDER TRIAL OF KYLE RITTENHOUSE.

AND IF YOU ARE WATCHING US ON SATURDAY NIGHT, KNOW THAT YOU CAN ALSO CATCH BACK VOICES AND LATINO VOICES ON SUNDAYS BEGINNING AT 10 PM.

JOIN BRANDIS FREEMAN AND PARIS SCHUTZ NEXT WEEK AT 7:00 ON CHICAGO TONIGHT.

WE LEAVE YOU NOW WITH SOME MORE DANCE MOVES FROM POPPIN' CHUCK.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT GO TONIGHT: BLACK VOICES, IM ANGEL IDOWU.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE, GOOD NIGHT.

[MUSIC]