The Obama Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) Coalition took action when the Obama Foundation announced in 2016 that Jackson Park would host its presidential library. While this news excited locals, it also raised concerns about excluding low-income residents from jobs and benefits, and fears of rising rents displacing Black families. The Coalition sought commitments from the Obama Foundation, the University of Chicago, and the City to ensure the development’s benefits reached Woodlawn’s long-time residents. They wanted job opportunities and housing protections for the neighborhood. The Obama CBA’s success shows grassroots organizing works and offers a blueprint for other neighborhoods facing displacement and gentrification.

The TRiiBE is an award-winning digital publication and production company founded in 2017 by Morgan Elise Johnson, Tiffany Walden, and David Elutilo, aimed at reshaping the narrative of Black Chicago. The TRiiBE addresses racism and systemic harms while uplifting Black creativity and resistance. Its team has produced thousands of articles and artworks, reaching millions globally. Co-founders Johnson and Walden established the platform to tell nuanced, solutions-driven stories about Black lives, countering harmful media portrayals. Since launch, The TRiiBE has published a magazine, maintained a local business database, issued newsletters, and hosted outreach events. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 uprisings, they continued the tradition of the abolitionist Black press, amplifying community demands.