Hosted by: Metropolitan Planning Council
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Photos courtesy of Jahmal Cole; Photo of Darryl Holliday by Lucio Villa
Register Today
If there is one thing Jahmal Cole—founder of My Block, My Hood, My City (MBMHMC)—knows for sure: Exposure is Key. In his new book of the same name, Exposure is Key: Solving Violence by Exposing Teens to Opportunities, Cole lays out the challenges and limitations created by geographic boundaries, and why we all have a stake in the future of our region, city and communities.
Join MPC for an evening that’s all about stepping outside comfort zones and exploring new communities and cultures. Hear from students who participate in MBMHMC Explorations and how their participation helps them better understand our city and our world. Then hear from Cole, who will be in conversation with Darryl Holliday, Editorial Director and Co-founder of City Bureau, about the importance of breaking down barriers to advance equity and foster collaboration.
Copies of Cole's book and MBMHMC merchandise will be available for purchase at the event.
Doors open at 5 p.m. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m., with time to mingle before and after. The cost of the event is $15, which includes snacks, wine, and beer. Space is limited, so please register in advance.
Register Today
Sponsorships are available! For more information, contact:
Janet Myers
Vice President of Philanthropy, Metropolitan Planning Council
jmyers@metroplanning.org
312.863.6010
About My Block, My Hood, My City
My Block, My Hood, My City provides youth from under-resourced neighborhoods with an awareness of the world and opportunities beyond their neighborhood. Students in the program go on explorations focused on STEM, Arts & Culture, Citizenry & Volunteerism, Health, Community Development, Culinary Arts, and Entrepreneurism.
About Jahmal Cole
Jahmal Cole is a tireless volunteer, role model and activist. He founded My Block, My Hood, My City after working with teens in Cook County Jail who said they'd never been Downtown. Cole is also an advocate for education reform in Chicago and is pushing to make block club signs beacons of hope. He is the author of The Torch of Decency: Rekindling the Spirit of Community Organizations, Athletes & MC’s, 50 Excuses to not Follow your Dreams, and most recently Exposure is Key: Solving Violence by Exposing Teens to Opportunities.
About Darryl Holliday
Darryl Holliday is a Studs-Terkel award-winning journalist, multimedia storyteller and reformed crime reporter based in Chicago. He’s the Editorial Director and Co-founder of City Bureau, a civic media lab based on Chicago's South Side. Holliday got his start as a beat reporter for DNAinfo Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times. Since then, he has continued to cultivate and support innovative approaches to media coverage, newsroom diversity and civic engagement.