It is wonderful to be home. It is wonderful to be at university of chicago. It is wonderful to be on the south side of chicago, and it is wonderful to be with these young people here. And what i want to do is just maybe speak very briefly at the top about why we are here, and then i want to spend most of the time that we are together hearing from these remarkable young people who are i think representative of some amazing young people who are in the audience as well. I was telling these guys that, it was a little over 30 years ago, that i came to chicago. I was 25 years old and i had gotten out of college filled with idealism and absolutely certain that summer i was going to change the world. But i had no idea how or where or what i was going to be doing. And so i worked first to pay off some student loans, and then i went to work at the city colleges of new york on their harlem campus with some students organizing. Then there were a group of churches on the south side who would come together to try to do with the steel plant that it close in the area, and the economic devastation that had been taking place, but also the racial tensions and turnover that was happening in these communities. So they had formed an organization. They hired me at what was called a community organizer. At that did not really know what that meant or how to do it, but i accepted the job. And for the next three years, i lived right here in hyde park but i worked for the south in communities like roseland and west pullman. Working class neighborhoods, many of which had changed rapidly from white to black in the late 60s, 70s. And full of wonderful people who were proud of their communities, proud of the steps they taken to try to move into the middle class but were also worried about their futures, a cousin some cases their kids are not doing as well as they had. In some cases these communities had been badly neglected for a very long time. The distribution of City Services were an equal. Schools were underfunded. There was a lack of opportunity. And for three years i tried to do something about it, and i am the first to acknowledge that it didnt set the world on fire, nor did i transform these communities in any significant way, although we did some good things. But it did change me. This community gave me a lot more than i was able to give in return. Because this community taught me that ordinary people, when working together, can do extraordinary things. This community taught me that everybody has a story to tell that is important. This experience taught me that beneath the surface differences of people, that there were common hopes and Common Dreams and common aspirations, common values that stitched us together as americans. And so even though i come after three years, left for law school, the lessons that had been taught to me here as organizer are the ones that stayed with me. And effectively gave me the foundation for my subsequent political career and the themes that i would talk about as a state legislator, as a u. S. Senator, and ultimately as president of the United States. Now, i tell you that history because on the back end now of my presidency, now that it is completed, im spending a lot of time thinking about what is the most important thing i can do for my next job. And what im convinced of is that, although there are all kinds of issues that i care about and all kinds of issues that i intend to work on, the single most important thing i can do is to help in any way i can prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world. Because the one thing that im absolutely convinced of is that, yes, we confront a whole range of challenges from economic inequality and lack of opportunity to a criminal Justice System that too often is skewed in ways that are not productive, to Climate Change, the issues related to violence. All those problems are serious, they are daunting, but they are not insolvable. What is preventing us from tackling them and making more progress really has to do with our politics. It has to do with the fact that, because of things like political gerrymandering, our parties have moved further and further apart and its harder and harder to find Common Ground. Because of money in politics, special interest dominate the debates in washington in ways that dont match up with what the broad majority of the american people. Because of changes in the media, we now have a situation in which everybody is listening to people who already agree with them, and are further and further reinforcing their own realities to the neglect of a common reality that allows us to have a healthy debate and then try to find Common Ground and actually move solutions forward. And so, you know, when i said in 2004 that there were no red states or blue states, they are the United States of america, that was an aspirational comment, but i think its [laughing] and its one by the way i still believe in the sense that when you talk to individuals oneonone, people, theres a lot more that people have in common than divides them. But obviously its not true when it comes to our politics and our civic life. And maybe more pernicious is the fact that people just are not involved. They get cynical and they give up, and as a consequence with some of the loaves voting rates in any advance democracy and 80 low participation rates that translate into a for the gap between who is governing us and what we believe. The only folks are going to be able to solve the problem are going to be young people, the next generation. And i have been encouraged everywhere i go in the United States, but also Anyone Around the world, to see how sharp and astute and tolerant and thoughtful and entrepreneurial our young people are. A lot more sophisticated that i was at their age. And so the question then becomes, what are the ways in which we can create pathways for them to take leadership, for them to get involved . Are the ways in which we cannot bounce some of the barriers that are discouraging young people about the life of service . And if there are, i want to work with them to knock down those barriers, and to get this next generation just to accelerate their move towards leadership. Because if that happens i think we will be just fine. And i may end up being incredibly optimistic. So with that, what id like to do is to have our panelists here today each tell us a little bit about themselves. And what ive asked them ahead of time, i did give them the question ahead of time, i asked of them to describe for me what it is that they see among their peers that they think discourages voting participation, paying attention to some of the issues, getting involved. Do they have some immediate suggestions of the kinds of things that would get young people more involved and engaged and discover their voices. Once weve gone through the entire panel, then were just going to open it up and we will see how it works her. Hopefully it will be interesting. Ill find it interesting. Hopefully you will find it all right . So were going to start with kelsey. Thank you, mr. President. And did my own. Its an athlete honor to be here with you all. My name is kelsey, im a senior at loyola. Ive had the pleasure of being very involved on loyola was campus with a number of Different Things going on and looking for to graduating and less than two weeks, pursuing my masters in Higher Education and student affairs. My passion for working with College Students does stem from the ability to work with activist and work with Community Engagement and we understand that College Students during a transformative time is the opportunity for students to learn about these important issues and really find their voice, understand that we cant get discouraged when something doesnt go our way immediately but being able to work towards that end, golf. Fantastic. Okay. [applause] good morning everyone. My name is ramuel. I grew up in milwaukee wisconsin. Wisconsin. On the u. S. Army veteran. I major in sociology with a minor in legal studies at Roosevelt University. Yeah. I work currently on a Research Assistant at Roosevelt University focusing on communitybased Collaborative Research projects. We worked on projects ranging from landlord tenant issues the Youth Leadership programs and currently we are working on a project about the day labor market in chicago, the city of chicago. Its a pleasure to be here, mr. President. Fantastic. [applause] good morning. Im tiffany. I was raised on the southside of chicago in a low income household. I tried twitter valedictorian from the academy in the top ten from Kenwood Academy. [applause] broncos in the house. I graduate number one from Chicago State University with my bachelors in chemistry. [applause] and i graduation chicago state a second time with my doctorate in pharmacy. [applause] thank you. I have currently been a Community Pharmacy manager on the southside of chicago, and for the past three years, and ive also author of a book, the guy to Elementary School high school and undergraduate success. [applause] okay. Im max and you can see what it made me follow now. [laughing] i have been involved in Civic Engagement and civic life. University of chicago to the institute of politics which has been an absent blessing and a fantastic resource all of us. The summer after my first year here they gave stipends so that i think the number 16 of us could go to des moines for the summer of 2015 to either work with certain press agencies or with campaigns. I think that was a really eyeopening experience, be with the campaign directly and f are you can move in the old by moving one vote in the caucus. Ill have more time on this link. Ive been involved on campus with Syrian Government and college republicans. [applause] hello, everyone. My name is ayanna watkins. Im the baby of the panel. Im currently a senior at Kenwood Academy high school. [cheers and applause] and throughout my High School Career ive been involved in numerous student organizations, multiple sports teams, et cetera cetera. And outside of high school ive been involved in a lot of committee based organizations to volunteer my time with the youth as well, and in the fall i will be attending college in dallas texas with the multiple scholarships in my name, and also an entrepreneur, i would say, with my own clothing line. Okay. [applause] peace and love, you all. My name is harish patel, and i live on the north side of chicago. I arrived as a proud immigrant rented of the age of 14 with my mom and sister from india. And i attended Public Schools and it went to university of illinois chicago. [cheers and applause] both for my undergraduate study and from masters in planning and policy. After graduating i did become an organizer with somebody in the audience i want to point out, a mentor of mine. That sort of let me to run for office and most recently now i work for new america, new america chicago. On the Deputy Director and chicago were so to do what were doing today. We infuse new ideas and new voices into Public Policy conversations so im really looking forward to this. Thanks, harish. [applause] well, as you can see we have an Extraordinary Group here of sharp young people. But you also noticed the kind avoided my question. [laughing] but thats good because it keys up the next segment, and look, in the president ial election, you have may be half of your peers voting. In midterm elections, about a third of your peers vote. I suspect that if you ask a lot of young people about a wide range of issues, regardless of where they sit ideologically, they would say yeah, im very concerned about the economy, im very concerned about foreign policy, im very concerned about this or that or the other. But a lot of them feel as if their involvement would not make a difference. Its not worth their time. And, in fact, they are discouraged but feel disempowered. So all of you have already shown yourselves to be willing to get out there and be involved and to make a difference. And im curious as to what is it do you think that prompted you to get involved in some fashion . And also when you talk to your friends, what is it that you think is preventing them from doing so that might make a difference. We dont have to go in order. So if anybody wants to start, and i like that in you. [laughing] so although i am in high school, a lot of my peers, so im a senior so of course some of my peers were able to vote this year, but overall im grateful that i had the opportunity to take courses at Kenwood Academy, Kenwood Academy high school, that of all political science. We take africanamerican studies, et cetera, but not a lot of schools have that opportunity. So i would say awareness is something that holds a lot of our youth back from getting involved. Because im privileged so therefore i step up and i encourage others to get involved and to have a voice. But i think the youth feel like they dont have a voice. So that plays a huge factor as to why the results are the way they are, if that makes sense. It makes a lot of sense. You think as you are coming up, you know, social studies, civic education, what kids are getting in the classroom would make a difference . Do you think it would make more of a difference if young people have the opportunities to volunteer with organizations, to engage in Community Service . You know, what is it that you think would make the biggest difference in young people saying, you know what, if i volunteer for this organization i might make a difference in my community. Or if i participate on this issue. Somebody might hear my voice and might actually make a difference. What do you think would be most effective in encouraging people . So i feel like an order to encourage the youth, it involves to have a strong support system behind it, to bring the youth up. So for instance, in school we are taught social studies, but we tend to focus on the mathematics, science, english, you know, because thats what we are always brought on because it takes tests, exams, et cetera fix a social studies and civics, education tends to be pushed to the side. So i feel like it should be encouraged in the School Systems because majority of our youth are in school, of course. And then from there built outside programs. So you know, from there, you know [laughing] i agree with ayanna, because i went to kenwood. That was the kind of started me getting my foot in the door to wanting to expand and outside things. I think also funding afterschool programs and summer programs, because i had two to three jobs ever since eighth grade every summer. Because one, you make money, you know . So that was one, but also to what my resume, help make it my feet wet to allow me to see different opportunities, to see if i liked being a counselor, if i wanted to be a cheerleading coach, if i wanted to be a tutor. Suggest trying Different Things every summer help me to kind of voting as to what i want to do with the rest of my life. And afterschool programs, the funding for that, it helped keep the kids off the street, hopefully in chicago will have less violence so they left something to do. You are also enriching their lives. In school and afterschool and also in the summer. Fantastic, okay. Im sorry. Kelsey, didnt you work, was it in the bronx that you work during the summer and what prompted you to come up first of all, describe what the experience was, and then give us a sense of what inspired you to do Something Like that. So i was involved in a Conversion Program that since students on trips over spring break is over winter break. The spring break of my junior of college i was sent to the south bronx working in Elementary School but we took a group of ten students and were really there like and what you would think him to enrich their lives for the week that were there. Whats so unique about the way we run this program at loyola is we understand that private cell have to be welcomed into the Community Spirit we are not there to support that. We are there to learn from them to understand experiences that a students are having a really to understand just how wonderful segment of these young Elementary School kids are. Member the principal at Immaculate Conception which is a school we were at coming up to us at the end of it and said i hope you all realize that this is the only week out of your students get to think of it because it is too messy with just one teacher in the room. It took having a lot of us there to make sure they are able to do that. A very simple thing but goes to show the impact they can people connect and communities. You are going to Say Something and obviously your service in the military is an example of Public Service that i think thankfully everybody now appreciates. That wasnt always the case, but what i discovered obviously was that once our veterans take off the uniform, they leave service, sometimes people forget how much talent is there and the need to tap into the amazing young people that have served in our military so that they can work in the community and continue the leadership that they have shown while they were in the military. He to engage so many of the people from all over the country that we all share the same goal. I have realized if i want to make a larger contribution is it not to go to school. And so thats what they did. I served my Commission Contract and receive an Honorable Discharge from the move to chicago june 2014, went to roosevelt august 2014th of what i got out of the military was part of this program called veterans precollege Readiness Program today to brush up on Academic Skills before they go to college. Being part of that literally saved me taking extra courses. Benefited immensely from that. Was fortunate to get position and that got me going. I was working with different projects, youth, landlord. These are regular folks. And something i wanted to get involved in. To answer your question, i think we need to connect personal problems with public issues. I feel like sometimes you work for jobs and you can afford daycare. Its not because youre lazy. So if there is some connection and a really big on collecting data and numbers. 80 of people are experiencing this in your community and you just dont know it. You just dont see it, but heres the numbers than the facts. I believe that its a huge thing we can do to help it. Youre making a terrific point. One of the things i learned when i was organizing, and this is true for a lot of young wouldbe dogooders. You show up in a neighborhood in your initial instinct is to tell people what they should be interested in. Instead of spending the First Six Months listening to finding out what they actually are interested in. And then connecting [applause] connecting their immediate needs to the policies that are having influence on those areas of concern. The more that you can make concrete for people, the fact that the reason there arent afterschool programs is not just because theyre impossible to set up, but has to do with budget and the people who are making decisions about budgets. The reason there is a lack of childcare is not because youre the only single mom who needs childcare. Everybody knew childcare, but there are facilities in place and this is what a change in Public Policy can do to provide everybody support. That is when you start bringing people together and their voices are amplified. What certainly true as one voice by itself rarely change is something. Two voices have a better shot. 20 voices, we are getting somewhere. But it begins at the listening process you are talking about, talking about how many people like they are being heard at the outset. Thats a great point. Somebody whos always interested in politics generally or is this something that came to you your active in college republicans. Two questions abound not. Number one, d. Phil. A College Campus sometimes you are not hurt as much is it that to be because i think theres certainly a perception im people who are the more conservative end of the spent in colleges are a bastion of political conduct mass. And how do you sort through that . Also, have you found ways you can connect with the college democrat. And as a different point of view so we can encourage better conversation and better understand and hopefully more progress. Sabean interest in politics, i dont know if i came from a project early politically active family. My mother was in pta when i was a child. Pta is a lot of work. In connecticut, is a blood sport. [laughter] you know, the message that Something Like that with sand, she didnt need to do that. She did that because the educational system and were brought to the community that was sponsored in the town was important to her and something worth giving her time to and something worth going out. No one pays you to do this. You take a great deal of flak. I certainly honor that commitment. In eighth grade, which was your first election, and social studies we are told can i just say [laughter] im old. Look, please continue. In eighth grade. Golly. [laughter] in eighth grade, we were [laughter] alright, ill ill pick a different age. No comment at the beginning of the array picked a campaign to follow sort through to fruition in each week we did a report for a teacher and how theyve been featured in the news, and a polling information we had accumulated. We never got them back. It was an interesting process and that it taught us to care about the news in a time when maybe that wasnt sent a new went home and watched and it is something that made you more cognizant of the issues. I was fortunate not to go to high school in New Hampshire where pinard too heavily. As part of it because that daycare. I think that one of the things it is a shame in that process is a group that is active every four years because their influential. They give no common usage dont move, boat. You have a lot of these people who engage in the process every four years and are sort of gone for the inbetween. And then you have some if youre brought up that way and effectively your opinion will tell gain in go on to do big things. I had a friend who i went to high school with benches from New Hampshire her life, pointing out and shes a stay breath because she ran for an open seat is how it goes. In terms of being involved in politics, and a sort them out to take a year between high school and college and i worked in washington d. C. And thats an eyeopening experience because it forces you to confront in a railway what to believe and wind came a lot of information very quickly. After coming here, i came here to be an economist. And that coupled with my time at the institute of politics, which is a good structured floors to show that there were many venues for us to engage cynically. The mix for things like campaigning in iowa. As for the interpublic can on a College Campus, yesterday nbc ran an article about this on their webs i and it didnt say who would wear, just as the composition was republican and the rest are democrats or progressives. Maybe three people sent me the article. [laughter] and it is if youre watching. But i would say it depends on the setting weather is something im particularly forthcoming with you that the institute of politics itself, most people know it is point and certainly the beginning of 2016 the caucus season is going on, both in iowa and could dukakis math, which i see now is not real math. They have the votes are tallied, that there were venues are money why wouldnt have brought it up or been particularly forthcoming with it. I think people suspect today. Ill leave that to the other Student Government people in the room to confirm or not. I dont necessarily know what i was afraid of, but i think theres a sense that if you harbor a view that doesnt jibe with the majority view that you can expect some authorization from certain people are people to assume the worst aspect of view based on the things you may or may not hold. I dont think anyone sitting in this room agrees with their party at 100 of issues 100 of time. I may be wrong. And so i think being a republican on the College Campus is in another cell a sword of honor because most people dont agree with you at my new engage in the dorms in dining halls and with those people able to see you, the person they knew the person with political views, you are forced to yourself while hindu soulsearching while an understand why it is that you think and what parts of your past impact you believe now in maple leaf tomorrow. I think the other day if there is a significant gap not just here, but everywhere. You know, most people have been having their homes for dinner and a Railway Summit is significantly different from them politically a racially or for whatever reason. So i think that the liberal bastion certainly cant be true. Ive been luckier, the school is extremely committed to accepting our thought. I think a broader societal problem is if you look at the county map of 2016, you have a lot of counties for secretary clinton when the variety of the vote and thats true for the president now. Theres not understanding. Its not just over reading different news. We dont talk to each other anymore. It would be good, but civic Civic Engagement required level of civility. [applause] is a lot of problems with our politics that begin at home. I think we blame politicians a lot for the failure of us, of each of us to grasp each other. So your adventure when you renew senator, dick lugar. Great guy. And ultimately lost his primary for that reason. Talk to me. People couldnt stand to see their member bridget gap on a human level. I think that is sad. Theres the demand gap and a lot of people see politics in this generation and they say this is ugly, mean, some name that you have pretty experienced people doing. You know, if the countries to shape the politicians are figures, the boat moved a degree either way. I think the lack of results stems from a lack of us understanding each other well. Marco rubio said it pretty well a couple months ago that you cant really run a country when half of it pays the other. Somehow we have to find ways to bridge that two people who were like us. Sure. [applause] other than me, youre the other guy running for office. The oldest. I wasnt going to say the oldest. The other guy who ran for office. I know you lost, but i did too, once. Right here in this community. But what prompted you to run for office, which is a different kind of engagement and what did you take from the experience . Did you feel discouraged or did you feel this was fun funnier if it wasnt fun than it was for that. You would encourage other young people to take a shot. Tell me a little bit about your thought process. Yeah, for me, i want to start with the first time i ever did something that is considered physically engaged. I was a democrat so i couldnt vote until after the iraq war had already started. The first thing you ever thought of doing this for this country are protesting the iraq war. I follow passionately that i think you are all so at that point. I agree with you. I couldnt vote, but i felt like at the time Civic Engagement and it sends gets stuck in the dynamic of voting or electorate engagement and doesnt always expand. We have do it sort of expanded to what your mother did or been on a border for nonprofit. Very tough positions to have and i think i would hope that made forward thinking about civic age meant beyond voting. But to directly answer the question around why i went from protesting to work in Nonprofit Organizing Committee electoral politics is one of the many routes that im going to engage in. For me, actually happening in 2010. It was after i was done organizing that i saw a lot of the jargon that was used against us as young people at that time, i didnt understand. Thats why went to bat to college. When i ran, theres a lot of my last name is patel. Theres a lot of details in office. A lot of details in india. There are a lot more patel than obama. Agreed. [laughter] i have been his same joke, but im not going to tell it. So at some point i sort of felt that both are more i dont want to get stuck in this twoparty language, but theres a lot of different personalities and politics of young people especially get drawn to them they cant really go beyond the questions are allowed to ask with it. I wanted to be a lot of protesting run for office and run a small biz is to do the organizing and figure out the most effect way i want to live my life and be happy, but also inspire a whole generation of folks that look like me were south asian immigrants. I want most in people of color to go they can literally do anything. I was one of the major reasons. Illinois has an establishment politics that is really old. Not old in age, but old and thinking. Power, money, ideas that only come from a few families are sometimes a few zip codes. I want to say its not how we should move forward. [applause] a couple of thoughts based on some of the things that folks have said. First of all, what you said about a lot of different ways to engage is important because sometimes people think if youre not running for office so its not election day, there is no other way of getting involved. The pta is a perfect example of the kind of thing we want to encourage. There are a bunch of writers and social scientists and thinkers could argue one of the problems we have right now is the mediating is that you should, the union, the church is coming pta groups, rotary club, a lot of the voluntary organizations that used to exist at the rarities that used to bring people in to gather to then work on issues, that does have declined and statistics show people are less likely to be involved with various organizations in their community than they used to be. What that means is people dont have some of the same hobbit of being together on a common project that they used to. We become a more individual society and that i think has some spillover effect when it comes to both political participation, but also empathy because your interact with fewer people on a regular basis. The second thing has to do with information. I want to see what people think. I think a lot of us have been in politics for a while to see a change from 20 years ago, certainly 30 years ago where it used to be everybody kind of had the same information and we had different opinions about it, but there is a common baseline of facts and the internet in some ways has accelerated entirely separate conversation. If this generation is getting all of it information through with those, you really dont have to confront people who have differing opinions or have a different experience for different outlook. If youre liberal, on msnbc, conservative on fox news. Wall street journal or the New York Times or whatever your choices are. Maybe youre just looking at cap videos, which is fine. [laughter] so, one question i have for all of you is how do you get your information about the news and whats happening out there in neither ways in which you think we could do a better job of creating a common conversation now that you have 600 cable stations and all these different news outlets is basically offer one set of hands. If theres two sets of opinions they are just yelling at each other. And the internet is worse. Its become more and more polarized. How much do you think that affects issues and are there ways that could be changed given that most of your permission and certainly the younger people behind you even more get their information primarily off their phones. Social media has its pros and cons. For instance, getting information about whats going on in the world, way faster and social media than a newscast. On the other hand, but if youre passing along information that the information is in presented in a way that it should be. I think i should go back to the old school. I think funds, social media should be eliminated each has wait, wait. I think i should rephrase myself. I think when it comes to politics and Important Information that can influence younger generation, it should be organic. So politicians that actually reach out and physically walk through the communities that there cant be any misconception because twitter or facebook, social media page, that causes a lot of problems and to actually go out with the community would go more welcome and that goes to getting involved because to have somebody check your hand and look at you and talk to you is a more heartfelt feeling and listening to what it has to say she said almost exactly what i was thinking. I think one of the things thats important is people being able to but does not have to be an immediate rate on to understand where both viewpoints are coming from. Is the same in marriage, by the way. Just for you young people. So you understand rather than listening to his aunt. That will save you a lot of heartache in grief. [laughter] sorry. A little tidbit. I think it is something that our generation, would find it easier to hide behind facebook screens, twitter posts, but to have those conversations and look to the other side is the only way well get anything done. I think its important to engage with the leaders of that community have gone in there because that affects you in another city doesnt mean its going to be the same dynamics in this neighborhood. Its important to understand that i want to help, but i also need to be humble and they have lived through it and have a more clear understanding of what is needed. We need to critically analyze political views. And then you can create a plan for that. I definitely think as far as where you get your news from, not every news station that means republican is horrible. You need to understand how others think. But yeah, i really believe not shutting other people that had different views than you for recognizing that you do want to help, but respect the fact there are people who have lived with these issues then you need to work with them instead of outsourcing their health and stuff. Any other thoughts . There is an interest to you and image are not the kind sort before the election that showed they made a generic page and a show deal the news article that would be in their newsfeed that they could go and see. Paid im in this class now called groove. The first class they put us in a documentary with a man who was a saturnian routes during the 70s. You know, hell tell you if you ask somebody what shape the table is coming you can get three answers. If you set up a table is probably a wreck you know, underneath it who doesnt the family. Right from inside its got a rounded edge that clearly its a semi circle. I think that is basically where we are with the news. I dont offer coverage were of the same issues that people would find factual different anyway. I think part of the problem is we dont agree on what the issues are that are pressing and facing the country. I dont know how you get there, but i dont think that a National Dialogue necessarily starts online or starts in the press. I think his star store to door and that is how people go about campaigning. Right now its easy to know you have numbers if you could only get them to show up and work to get somebody has to turn out for you to persuade them that your point of view is correct. Senators about it and had to spend millions of dollars in advertisements and if my opponent is selected that the apocalypse will occur, rivers will run red. The schiphol name is linda gray, ive got to make all the eggs have been. I think that at all levels is the conversation of people talking to each other again. Maybe it has started middleschool where you see a class that has differing views and commit part of social studies time to have people talk or issues of the day. We have to get back to a place where people can talk to each other now. I will say the reason i was able to run for the United States senate was because in addition to my base here in chicago, i have spent a lot of time traveling around the state and over time i got to know people in parts of illinois that would today be considered red. I lucked out the fact delay that i was kind of under the radar screen so political hands didnt characterize me and people would meet me, even though im a chicago lawyer from a liberal district. But i would show up and then id have a conversation and talk about kids and basketball and what was happening on their jobs and people got a sense that my frames of reference and my values were not that different from theirs. That gave me the ability to break through the assumption. In some ways, iowa was the same way. Im traveling around the state as you know from having worked there. It is retail politics. You are going door to door, just talking to people. We didnt have a huge amount of money particularly initially for tv ads, so it was just meeting people. And that does change peoples assumption when they get a chance to know somebody directly. So part of what we have to figure out is how we create greater opportunities. Now that is true between red price of the state and blue parts of the state. Its true even within the city of chicago. I was yesterday with a group of young men who are part of a Program Designed to give them opportunities and pathways away from violence and crime. These are young people from 18 to 24, all africanamerican except one who was latino. Many who had already present record and had done some pretty rough stuff. Several home had already then shot at all times. None of whom had grown up with fathers. Many had effectively been orphaned when they were very. And so, this would be the stereotypical profile of somebody who has a good likelihood of shooting or getting shot here in chicago. Part of the island that has been plaguing the city. What was striking when you start out with these guys was they are young people. And if you had listened to them talking, you would recognize them is not that different from many other young men 18 to 24. What was different was their circumstances. They had grown up in some cases and foster care or their mother was a drug addict and they had been collected. So, even within the city boundaries, and a lot of times we will care to write their neighbors as something entirely different than us. That we can understand and are afraid of. Political rhetoric reinforces. They need to be heard, too. If the six of you had been in that conversation, you would have come away not saying these are some bugs are super predators that i cant relate to. You would actually say if id gone through what they went through, im not sure how it is with overt out for me either. And then creation of empathy and then promises a different kind of civic response or political response than the one that so often we have. Bacteria and other people is vital the question is are there ways in which we can create opportunities to do that for more young people earlier on before the lines of Division Start hard and. So just to add onto this about the community had what i understand about being officials. I actually met you before in high school. A is this another story about how old i am . Now, though we were at a breakfast downtown. I actually bought two unofficial intact and because i recognized him being not to be and he put a finger up his head now he can talk to me right now. And then i saw you. Hi, mr. Obama, can i please take a picture with you. And you said no. I was like what going on . They say on tv they care about people. But he said no, not until you tell me your name first. [applause] he shook my hand and talked to me. But analysts are saying, they may shake your hand and public but then you dont feel connected. That helped me want to be involved in the center lets you had to say because i did feel like you cared a Little Black Rock from chicago like me. Going back to the max was saying in Pharmacy School they did show us different bills and we actually went for pharmacy week and lobbied in springfield. The school, chicago state did instill in us how important it was to fight for our rights. To be a pharmacist you never know, they may take away that i cant dispense drugs anymore and i had no say in it. I think reagan into the schools will be very beneficial. Well, i suspect, im a little out of whack this, so ill have to find out how long we are supposed to be here. But im having fun. How long are we supposed to be here . So what i was thinking as ive been asking a lot of questions. I should give you guys an opportunity to ask me a couple of questions before time is up. Anybody want to take a shot . Well no, not you. We are talking of people, but its great to see you. I didnt mean to imply that youre not young. Im just saying. Go ahead. So i definitely have a question. Ive been working on this project called latino youth on the Northwest Side of chicago. We have been working on surveying day laborers on corners where they search for work. I started in september and initially it was difficult because again i went with an organizer from the latino union so it definitely helped a nice icebreaker. You understood the dynamics of the corner. After november it was extremely difficult to talk to these men. I heard he had acted almost 20 until then and i continued until march. Between november and large, it was just the presence of me being out there that clip board. Made them nervous. I was explaining why was there, that because of what was going on, it was like okay command that you are just one person. The question to you, mr. President , is how could you bring these people not like me. I want to engage with them. But how can i tell these men and women to come out of the shadows because they are already in the shadows. Now they are in shadows even further. How can i tell them that it is okay to tell me a thing can happen. Well, in some ways you already answered your own question. It is a matter of trust. For you to finish your research project, you are going to need somebody that they trust to introduce you to them. One of the things that i learned as an organizer and as a politician is your ability to create trust and relationship is the thing that makes all the difference and being able to have been in pack. And that is hard to do in this current environment. But its not impossible. It may be there priests. They may be somebody they worked with that you know whose legal status is less that risk. I think generally speaking, immigration is a good example of an issue that stirs up so much passion and sometimes misinformation that its hard for us to have a good healthy conversation about it. The interesting thing is historically when you look at surveys, the overwhelming majority of american believe that america is a nation of immigrants and that immigration has come to be dead to the wealth and prosperity and dynamism of country. The majority of americans also believe immigration should be lawful quarterly. The addition be haphazard. Sometimes they feel frustrated if it is perceived that folks are breaking the rules are cutting the line essentially. So i think its an art for those who support as i do Immigration Reform and pathways to citizenship for folks who are here not to assume that everybody who has trouble with the current immigration system is automatically resized. Thats an example of us being able to listen. I think for those who are concerned about undocumented workers coming in whether its across the border are marked typically these days overseeing defense, its an to participate the degree to which these are overwhelmingly establishes looking for a better life for their children. You know, i always used to say sometimes in crowds were folks that want to hear it but its not like everybody at ellis island had all their papers straight. The truth is the history of our immigration system has always been a little bit haphazard, a little bit loose, a little bit determined that the country one more workers, economic imperatives. Sometimes it was driven by biases. If you look at what was said about irish when they were coming here in the wake of the potato famine, then ive talked about them the same way you hear people talking about immigrant today. This is an example of where everybody being able to see the reality of immigrants as people, but it also requires us to advocate on behalf of immigrants to have some respect for people who you may be able to win over if you can argue that we are going to create an immigration system that is fair, but still allows people to come here and achieve some sort of opportunity. But the shortterm problem is youve got to find somebody who trusts you. You might want to put away the clip board and get to know them a little bit before you start surveying them. I was organizing, one of the things we used to say is dont knock on peoples door but that clip board. They dont know if you are the tax man. [laughter] or they dont know how long this thing is going to take. They are in the middle of a ballgame, watching reruns of desperate housewives are some thing and they are really into it and then theres the guy with the clip board. Want to do one more question i asked him that weve got time for two or three. Someone who also mentioned that up to understand your divine failure are the things that media i see is im really worried about you people who claim in high school and then they get into college or get older and these claims are to stay with them. With the tweet, snapchat and they dont always get to grow their ideas or thoughts. People bring that up. They are running for Office United said youre not a feminist m. I. T. And then you understand the words being positive. I read the bell hooks both can i get it. So how do you sort of think about the concept of using technology and young people, but also somebody tracing an eye for longterm. Ive got a couple responses. With respect to failure, it is terrible. But necessary. If you are going to try something higher, if youre putting yourself out there in some way, there will be times where you dont succeed. There are times we do everything right and you still dont succeed. Thats not just true of politics are running a nonfor profit. That is true somebody talked about peanuts rivera. If youre starting a clothing line, im sure i have every confidence that youre going to succeed at some point. You will go through some failures. And i think that the most thing in this is a little bit of a cliche, but sometimes cliches are true is to learn from those failures and to have a sense of resilience and be able to examine what it is i did not succeed at, why didnt i succeed and what do i need to do better . The political aires was to congressman bobby rush. You know, its interesting because the book right now about my political journey and what i was writing what i thought about that race, when i was reminded of was the degree to which that was probably the sole time in my political career where i ran for it just because it was the next thing rather than running because i had a good theory of what it is i wanted to do. This is a mistake i think of other folks who get into politics make. When i see white house in terms are attacked you people, i always tell them worry less about what you want to be and worry more about what you want to do. [applause] when you are more concerned with i want to be a congressman or a want to be a senator or a want to be rich, then some people may succeed in chasing a whole, but when they get there, they dont know what to do with it. When they dont get there, they dont have anything to show for it. If youre worried about i want to have proof education in low Income Neighborhood or at what to do with Climate Change and help save the planet, that whatever you are doing in pursuit of that goal in and of itself will be worthwhile is going to teach at the temperature in a position to have been in tact. If it turns out as a result you also in up being successful in politics or whatever you are pursuing, so much better. The most successful business people, bill gates didnt start out saying i want to be the richest man in the world. He started out saying to himself i really think these computers are cool and i want to write cool software. That is what he wanted to do. Worked out well for him. So i think thats with respect to the failure issue. If you are focused on giving of yourself to accomplish some thing, that even when you fail at a particular objective, you are still succeeding in learning about how you can accomplish those goals and it doesnt just become about you. In terms of how to deal with the fact i see you grow up, you grow and change and evolve in all kinds of ways. That is healthy and normal and the problem is that its only fair. It would take to own it because it is true if you have pictures in high school. I would advise all of you to be a little more circumspect about what you take it sure is. Just a suggestion. But it is a real problem. Everything is searchable i wrote a book about dreams from my father a long time ago. The struggles i went through as a young man when i ran for office in there some big reveal about the guy smoked pot. Like yeah, its in my book. [laughter] [applause] they learned from that. I didnt sugarcoat it. I didnt suggest that somehow it is something that i recommend for everybody. But that is what teenage kid did at that age where i was growing up. Not everybody. Some were wiser than me. I wasnt out wise. So i think the best you can do is to own your life and your mistakes and the changes that you go through. It doesnt mean that its always pleasant to have people all up in your business. I mustve had this. 6, seven biographies about me. Im sure there are more coming out. Generally speaking one of the frustration like my life wasnt that exciting until i was president. So i didnt have these amazing experience is. I didnt accomplish that much when i was in high school and in college. So folks then go around and they are looking for staff. Their routine and there is a part of you that kind of says why would you care about this . It not that interesting. But you know what, that is the nature of the business in some ways. That is for people who are running for office. That is not true there is something unique about politics but its frustrating but theres not much you can do about it other than to bomb the fact that you are human and do make mistakes and you grow. Certainly people of this generation to understand that a lot of stuff ends up on the internet i think is probably more forgiving about those kinds of issues. Well, i have to say theres a reason why im always optimistic even when things look like they are sometimes not going the way i want and that is because of young people like this and it gives you a sense of what is possible for this country. My hope is that work even when it Young Leaders like this, and the organizations and ds, high schools, nonprofit organizations, Community Groups that are getting them engaged, that my foundation and the president ial center will be able to provide more and more pathways for young people to getting involved so that when somebody like me 35 years ago besides that ive got some pain to contribute, that we will have made the path a little bit for them and they can learn from some of the mistakes that ive made and others have made so they can see is the future. But i really appreciate the outstanding contributions all of you made. Im excited to see what you all do in the future. Can everybody gets a big round of applause . Thank you. [cheers and applause] [inaudible the u. S. Senate is about to gavel and for debate on rob rosenstein. All senators privately encouraged to go to the white house tomorrow for a briefing of north korea. Also discovered that name runs in the background extension. Life to the u. S. Senate here in cspan2. The presiding officer the senate will come to order. The chaplain dr. Barry black will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. O god most high, we know not what a day will bring forth, sorrow or joy, but our eyes are on you. Sustain our senators in their work