The Chicago Youth Jobs Collaborative aims to provide year-round employment for thousands of young people ages 16-24 by bringing some of the biggest names in hip-hop together with community and business organizations including the Chicago Urban League, Donda’s House and the Common Ground Foundation, which was founded by Common in 2000.
Common, known for being a conscious and politically astute rapper felt a civic duty to get involved. “I see what’s going on in the city. We all see it. Anytime I hear about anybody getting shot, young people with guns, it hurts me,” Common said. “We all feel good to have a job. I’m working on my new album, and I feel good just to say I’m working.
“These kids are no different from me in the way we grew up. It opened my eyes and I said, ‘I have to do more.”
The program’s inaugural session is slated for the fall starting with 1,000 jobs. Organizers committed to work with the private sector to identify jobs in various areas. The goal is to add 1,000 employees per year over the next four years after that, according to Brown.