Sidef Chicago News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Chicago is where almost everything that is most precious to me began. it's where i found a home. now, obviously michelle and i have been on a fairly extraordinary journey since then. one we could have never imagined all those years ago. but as far as we've come, i never lost sight of some important lessons that i learned right here in chicago. the first involves the power of place. the need to anchor our efforts to build a better world, not in theories and abstractions, but in neighborhoods and communities. and by now, most people know that i come from a pretty diverse background. i was born i...

Kansas. as a child i lived in indonesia. i have family whose gene pool stretches from ireland to china. i have lifelong friends who come from every corner of the world. and that background helps explain my core belief in the oneness of humanity. a belief in the god-given dignity and worth of all people and the underlying bonds that we share. it's why i believe america's diversity is a strength, not a weakness. the only way we can solve our biggest challenges from climate change to economic inequality is if we recognize those common bonds and learn to work together across divides of race and re...

Built, but also as it's being constructed. more than half of the contractors that have been awarded contracts for this project are either women or people of color. the architect is a black woman. they're emphasizing the idea that they want this project to be as inclusive as possible, to be as reflective of chicago as possible. you also mention the delay that we've had to getting to this point. we were supposed to be watching and witnessing the opening of the obama presidential center this year. instead, we're just seeing the ceremonial groundbreaking. that comes after years of political debate...

Time. one school at a time. one neighborhood at a time. one community at a time. the internet and social media can connect us and raise awareness about issues that matter, but it's only when we root ourselves in specific communities that we can understand the realities of people's lives and their complexity. that's where we build relationships and the trust that change requires. that's how we test our commitments and assumptions and we learn to navigate our differences and refine the strategies and programs that ultimately transform the world. the second thing chicago gave me was a faith that ...

Self-government. this country was built on the belief that any of us, no matter who we are, where we come from, how much money we have, what our last name is, any of us can recognize where our nation has fallen short, challenge the status quo, and pull america a little closer to our highest ideals. and that same faith and democracy has overthrown tyrants and liberated countries and delivered greater opportunity and freedom and dignity to billions of people around the world. so my experience in chicago made me believe in the power of place and the power of people. those beliefs guided me all th...