Rhymefest Will Deliver Keynote At Summit For Obama Foundation Community Benefits Agreement

By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 20, 2017 4:55PM

Chicago hip-hop artist and activist Rhymefest will be the keynote speaker at a summit tonight held by a coalition of community organizations, who continue to call for a Community Benefits Agreement with the Obama Foundation.

Rhymefest will join the Coalition for a CBA at the group's forum, scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m., at Hyde Park Academy High School (6220 S. Stony Island).

Activists have pushed for months for a signed agreement that would guarantee jobs related to the Obama Presidential Library and Center would go to the community and the Center would not displace residents.

The coalition wrote on the event page:

"Thousands of construction and permanent jobs will be created by the Obama library and surrounding developments.

BUT WHO WILL GET THESE JOBS?

WILL RISING PROPERTY TAXES AND NEW LUXURY CONDOS PUSH LOW INCOME, AND MIDDLE CLASS RESIDENTS OUT?

WILL ROADS BE CLOSED WITHOUT COMMUNITY INPUT?

HOW WILL IT IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS?"

Members and supporters of the coalition include the Bronzeville Regional Collective, the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and several others.

Former president Barack Obama said at a meeting last week via video that a CBA in an instance such as this would not be inclusive enough and isn't the right fit for a nonprofit such as the Obama Foundation.

Rhymefest is a Grammy-winning artist/activist. He ran for 20th Ward alderman in 2011. He's pushed back in the national media against Donald Trump's anti-Chicago tweets. Earlier this year he also helped record a pretty great bike-safety anthem.