CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's the celebration of a legacy, as students become a part of the first cohort of the Dr. Timuel D. Black Jr. Scholarship and Fellowship Program."He didn't just talk the talk, he walked the way. He made a difference in Chicago," said Liz-Enne De Beauville-Jones, a Dr. Timuel D. Black scholar.The new City Colleges of Chicago program was created and named for the historian, civil rights activist, author and educator to support the emergence of Chicago leaders."This is our inaugural event," said Rhonda Brown, with the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation.Black collaborated with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s and played a pivotal role in the election of Harold Washington."So we wanted to take that legacy and really infuse a lot of mentorship, a lot of activism and a very diverse group of, you know, people," Timuel D. Black Program Director Geovonnie Bates said.SEE MORE: Timuel Black, Chicago historian and civil rights leader, dead at 102Also a retired City Colleges of Chicago professor and a former Chicago Public Schools teacher, Black had a passion for sharing the importance of the historical contributions of African Americans with young people.He died in 2021 at the age of 102."He would be very proud that his legacy is continuing. I'm very proud his legacy is continuing," Black's widow Zenobia Johnson said.Each of the 12 fellows in the year-long program were awarded a $1,000 stipend and a one-year tuition credit.ABC7 Chicago's political analyst Laura Washington gave the keynote address.At Thursday's celebratory luncheon, supporters learned about this new program, which includes scholars touring historical sites in Black's native Alabama.But for 21-year-old Juses Guerrero, the honor is a chance to hopefully make a difference in his community and the world."Ultimately, the importance is we're human. We can all interact with each other," Guerrero said.Copyright © 2023 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Building Trauma-informed DEI Olive-Harvey College, one of the seven institutions the comprise the City Colleges of Chicago, also thinks about being student ready as “meeting students where they are,” says President Kimberly Hollingsworth, whose college has been undertaking strategic planning around enrollment management and equity in the wake of the pandemic. Read more from the Community College Journal: Community College Journal – ‘Meeting Students Where They Are’ (ccjournal-digital.com).

The City Colleges of Chicago Foundation recognizes the many achievements and contributions of women who continuously contribute to City Colleges. To celebrate International Women’s Day, we were so pleased to sit down with City Colleges of Chicago Foundation board member Norma Manjarrez. Norma, tell us about your involvement with City Colleges of Chicago Foundation. How did you get involved and what continues to motivate you to support the Foundation’s goals?I am a board member of the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation, and in this role, I aim to advance the organization’s efforts to support community college students from all backgrounds in reaching their academic and career goals. I am committed to supporting organizations that elevate diverse youth within under-resourced communities. It is my way of paying it forward. Tell us about your journey as a woman in your respective field. What does that look like for you? How do you overcome barriers and find inspiration to continue while balancing your personal and well-being?My journey as a woman in the legal industry has been shaped by my identity as a first-generation Mexican-American college/postgraduate. I have been undermined, assumed to have been admitted to graduate school at the bottom of the curve and as part of a diversity initiative. I have been criticized and challenged for having an “accent” after simply pronouncing my name in Spanish. I have been assumed to be the court reporter in a case I was defending as an attorney. My experience, unfortunately, is not unique. The reality is that the Latinx population is highly under-represented in the legal industry. Although the Latinx population is the largest ethnic minority group, there is still a significant gap between our representation as an ethnic minority group and our representation within the legal industry. In fact, the law student population in 2019 was 12.7% Latinx and in 2020, only 5.64% of associate attorneys were Latinx, 2.8% of partners were Latinx and only .9 (less than 1%) of partners were Latinx women. For some (maybe many) of us, the fear of being the first (or the only one) is overwhelming and sometimes paralyzing. Building and fostering relations of mentorship and sponsorship have allowed me to successfully maneuver through those new, sometimes unwelcoming, spaces. And in those moments of trepidation, I borrow from the Honorable Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, “Don’t let fear stop you. Don’t give up because you are paralyzed by insecurity or overwhelmed by the odds, because in giving up, you give up hope. Understand that failure is a process in life, that only in trying can you enrich yourself and have the possibility of moving forward. The greatest obstacle in life is fear and giving up because of it.” Is there a specific woman or a woman in history that you find inspiring? What was inspiring about her and what did you learn from that person?My mother. She has always been a go-getter. I am constantly reminded and motivated by my mother’s tireless efforts toward the advancement of herself and our family. She does not settle. As a new mom, I am profoundly motivated by my mother (mi madre). What does Women’s History Month mean to you?Women’s history month to me means celebrating my Latinidad and the many contributions Latinas have made and continue to make to our society while also recognizing that we have a lot of work to reach equality. Women’s history month is a reminder to collaborate and support other women, to understand the uniqueness of their struggles, and unify our efforts toward the advancement of all women. What advice can you give to other women during Women’s History Month?In those moments of trepidation, as the Honorable Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, has said “Don’t let fear stop you. Don’t give up because you are paralyzed by insecurity or overwhelmed by the odds, because in giving up, you give up hope. Understand that failure is a process in life, that only in trying can you enrich yourself and have the possibility of moving forward. The greatest obstacle in life is fear and giving up because of it.”

CHICAGO— (February 19, 2023) — The Timuel D. Black Jr. Scholarship and Fellowship (TBSF) program is inspired by the late City Colleges professor Timuel D. Black Jr’s remarkable career, his lifelong commitment to equity and justice in Chicago, and his belief in the power of community history and activism. “People often ask me: ‘where are the next Tim Blacks?’ Now I can say with confidence: At City Colleges of Chicago – being encouraged, educated, and standing ready to make a difference! This makes my heart glad,” said Zenobia Johnson-Black, his wife of four decades. “I am honored to join City Colleges in announcing the Timuel D. Black Jr. Scholarship and Fellowship Program (TBSF), which will support dozens of students seeking to excel in higher education,” said Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot. “This initiative not only celebrates the life and legacy of Mr. Black, one of Chicago’s greatest champions for equity, but encourages future generations to follow in his footsteps by becoming advocates for justice. Ultimately, the TBSF represents our collective commitment to our students and dedication to helping them achieve long lasting success here in our city and wherever their career takes them next.” “Timuel D. Black was a deeply beloved public servant and educator. He is an inspiration to people across our city and country, including me, and that is why I wanted to honor Mr. Black’s memory with a fellowship that will help to cultivate generations of future Chicago civic and social justice leaders,” said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago. The scholarship and fellowship program will work to support 20 City Colleges students in its pilot year who are emerging community leaders as they complete their studies and hone their community change leadership skills, as well as their knowledge of Chicago social movements and local history. With a commitment to social justice and racial equity, the program will uphold the values of Mr. Black and empower students to affect positive change in their communities. Mr. Black was a force for change throughout his life as an activist, educator, historian, and revered elder statesman and griot of Chicago’s Black community. He worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he came to Chicago to protest housing issues for West Side residents and helped to organize thousands of Chicagoans to join the historic March on Washington. He taught at Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges and was instrumental in the renaming of Loop College to Harold Washington College in honor of Chicago’s first Black mayor. Later he consulted with then community organizer Barack Obama about running for the U.S. Presidency. “I’ve been inspired by his public service and Mr. Black’s work in civil rights all my life. He has inspired countless leaders to affect change from our city’s first Black mayor, Harold Washington, to former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. I am honored to be part of this work–supporting our students as they too seek to affect change— by supporting this fellowship and scholarship through my work,” said Rhonda Brown, president of the City Colleges of Chicago Foundation, which will help to fund this new program. The deadline to apply is April 15, 2023 and applicants, in part, must be a City Colleges of Chicago student with plans to take classes in both the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters, have an interest in civil rights and community activism, and strive to be a changemaker. Students must also commit to the many activities of the Fellowship throughout the 2023-2024 school year. For more information, to apply, or to donate, visit www.ccc.edu/tbfellows. City Colleges of Chicago’s more than 3,800 faculty and staff serve more than 50,000 students annually at seven colleges and five satellite sites. City Colleges’ vision is to be recognized as the city’s most accessible higher education engine of socioeconomic mobility and racial equity – empowering all Chicagoans to take part in building a stronger and more just city. Learn more at: www.ccc.edu. The City Colleges of Chicago Foundation is a separate, not-for-profit 501(c)3 created solely to provide financially for the educational needs of the City Colleges of Chicago that cannot be met through state aid or student tuition income. The CCC Foundation, with its donors and partners, provides financial assistance to the student body, faculty and staff of our seven colleges and five satellite sites through the execution of a sustainable development plan built to maximize contributed income through effective fundraising, planned giving, major gift strategy and prudent investment to fund scholarships and special programs at the City Colleges of Chicago.