For dozens of Chicago young people attending Ye’s sold-out Soldier Field concerts Thursday and Friday, the experience will be about much more than seeing one of the world’s biggest artists perform.
Elevate to Educate (E2E), Chicago Board of Education member Che “Rhymefest” Smith, labor and community partner SEIU, and youth organizations including Art of Culture, CHAMPS Mentoring, Lost Boyz Inc. and Crowned on Purpose are joining together for “Future Builders”, a cultural and educational experience bringing young people—from Chicago’s South and West sides—into the history, neighborhoods and relationships behind one of Chicago’s most influential creative stories.
Future Builders is a student leadership initiative that brings together student voice leaders, helping them cultivate their agency and recognize themselves as the artists, educators, entrepreneurs and leaders who will write Chicago’s next chapter
The experience was made possible after Ye gifted 100 tickets to his Soldier Field concerts, creating an opportunity to turn a night of entertainment into a lesson about Chicago history, mentorship, education and possibility.
At the center of this week’s story is Dr. Donda West—educator, author, mentor and mother of Ye—whose commitment to education and young people left a lasting imprint on Chicago. Smith is partnering with Chicago urban historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas to help young people explore Dr. West’s legacy, the South Shore community where she raised her son, and the cultural landscape that helped shape generations of artists and thinkers.
“Dr. Donda West believed in education, creativity and young people,” Smith said. “Before our young people walk into Soldier Field, I want them to understand the history behind what they’re experiencing. Extraordinary creativity didn’t come from somewhere else—it came from Chicago. It came from our schools, our neighborhoods, our families and the same blocks many of these young people walk every day.”
Dr. West spent decades as an educator, including a distinguished career at Chicago State University. She earned her doctorate from Auburn University, taught at Nanjing University in China through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program and helped establish Chicago State University’s Gwendolyn Brooks Center for Black Literature and Creative Writing. Her influence extended far beyond the classroom through her mentorship of students, writers and emerging creatives.
For Smith, that legacy is personal. Long before becoming a Grammy- and Academy Award-winning songwriter, community advocate and elected member of the Chicago Board of Education, he was a young Chicago artist whose life and creative development were shaped by Dr. West’s mentorship.
“I don’t want our young people to only look backward at what Chicago produced. They must ask, ‘What can I produce?’ The next great artist, educator, entrepreneur or community leader may be one of the young people riding on the bus with us.” -Rhymefest
The experience brings together Elevate to Educate, SEIU, Art of Culture, CHAMPS Mentoring, Lost Boyz Inc., Crowned on Purpose and other community partners. Approximately 80 young people are expected to participate across the Thursday and Friday experiences, accompanied by adult chaperones.
“This isn’t simply about giving a young person a concert ticket,” Smith said. We want to give young people a peek into their own potential—and help them cultivate and find their voice to build something of their own.”- Rhymefest
