The discussion was both dynamic and thought-provoking, focusing on critical efforts to bridge the racial wealth gap. Despite the promising programs and pilot initiatives being considered, our conversation underscored the significant work that remains, particularly in addressing the deeper systemic issues exacerbating this gap in Chicago.

In a recent Senate hearing, Dr. Lisa Bly-Jones, CEO of the Chicago Jobs Council (CJC), provided insightful testimony on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and its critical role in addressing the needs of the modern workforce. Since the hearing, she was asked to submit a response to a few questions the Senators had.

Cheryl Freeman, CJC Board Member and Dean at Olive-Harvey College (OHC) invited us to tour the state-of-the-art Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics (TDL) Center at Olive-Harvey College in Chicago. OHC is recognized as the Center of Excellence for TDL within the City Colleges network, serving as the primary hub for TDL expertise.

In this year’s Illinois General Assembly Spring Session, CJC advocated for policies that move us closer to an anti-racist workforce development system and employment equity. The Skills for Good Jobs expansive collaborative Agenda has encompassed several key initiatives led by partners and CJC.

Dr. Lisa Bly-Jones joined three others leaders from around the United States to testify in DC in front of the HELP full committee for the reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act. Read more about where we are now, as well as an update on House Bill 277 Failure to Appear.

We are saying goodbye to two beloved board members, Annita Jenke and Sheryl Homan, whom we honored at our annual meeting.

This event gathered experts to discuss aligning policies to effectively address and dismantle systemic racism in the workforce development space.

Recent feedback from CRC users praises the robust nature of the curriculum and highlights its ability to be customized.

The CWFA and CJC are committed to continuing this collaboration and are planning part two of the Funder Series for the next fiscal year.

On June 14th, we celebrated a great year and some major CJC accomplishments, such as the passing of House Bill 277 and CEO Dr. Lisa Bly-Jones testimony on Capitol Hill. The theme was reframing the narratives around workforce development and learning to think through a different lens regarding how we provide services, starting with more intentional collaboration.