Chicago Public Library Foundation Awards 2022

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FROM OUR LEADERSHIP

Walk through any Chicago Public Library branch, and you’ll see students learning, teens creating, and communities connecting with one another. Within every branch, a story of hope, success, and empowerment is being written, shaped, and shared. These stories help form our city’s collective narrative.

“The Library is our sanctuary,” Elnura, a parent at the Budlong Woods branch, shared with us as part of her summer Library story. Elnura’s quote speaks to the importance our Library plays in the lives of many Chicagoans. Just last month, Chicago established all 81 branches as book sanctuaries, protecting Library users’ freedom to read at a time when books are being banned at unprecedent ed rates. But our Library is also a sanctuary for Chicagoans to thrive, no matter their age, race, gender, or zip code.

This October, we came together to celebrate the boldness of our Chicago Public Library and all that it makes possible by providing unparalleled access to knowledge, resources, and programs for Chicagoans of all ages—from going fine free in 2019 to being open seven days a week and now, giving more than 300,000 Chicago Public School students low-barrier access to a Library card.

Your championship of this work ensures that our Library remains the responsive institution Chicagoans deserve, a true sanctuary for all to explore, discover, and for many, to simply exist without judgment.

Thank you for celebrating with us—and for adding to our Library’s story.

BOB WISLOW BOARD CHAIR Chicago Public Library Foundation

BRENDA LANGSTRAAT BUI PRESIDENT & CEO Chicago Public Library Foundation

On Wednesday, October 19,

Library lovers around the city and world tuned into a specially produced broadcast to celebrate bold stories and our bold Chicago Public Library with 2022 Library Foundation Award honorees Tony Kushner, Rick Bayless, and Shermann “Dilla” Thomas.

Legendary Chicago newscaster Bill Kurtis hosted the celebration, and the program’s centerpiece was a riveting conversation between Carl Sandburg Literary Award honoree Tony Kushner and best-selling author, NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host, and library advocate, Scott Simon.

SCOTT SIMONBILL KURTIS

Our Sponsors and Partners

Special thanks to our dedicated sponsors and partners who help make lifelong learning opportunities available to all at Chicago Public Library:

Honorary Chairs

MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT & FIRST LADY AMY ESHLEMAN GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER & FIRST LADY MK PRITZKER

Event Co-Chairs

FRANCIA E. HARRINGTON ANDRÉS ORDÓÑEZ

Event Producer

DONNA LAPIETRA

Presenting Sponsor

Lead

Grand Benefactor

Patron

WENDY A. BERGER MICHELLE L. COLLINS COMCAST

CONAGRA BRANDS CROSSLAND LITERACY ELIZABETH & MARK DONNELLY TERRANCE L. DIAMOND

JENNIFER FRIEDES & STEVEN C. FLORSHEIM DAVID F. HEROY

BETTE CERF HILL & BRUCE SAGAN ITW KPMG LLP

LEADERSHIP STORY LAB BRYAN & KATE LOGAN PNC BANK TAWANI FOUNDATION WINTRUST

Premier Supporter

CAROLINE T. & CHARLES K.HUEBNER

CAROL & LARRY LEVY CHERYL MAYBERRY MCKISSACK & ERIC MCKISSACK SHEILA OWENS LINDA JOHNSON RICE THE SEGAL FAMILY FOUNDATION

Premier Individual Supporters

AT&T

BRENDA LANGSTRAAT BUI & VE BUI CHRISTIE HEFNER

JP MORGAN

SANDY RAITT & ROB CHEIFETZ RITA RYAN KRISTEN SEEGER

Special Thanks

OUR HONOREES

SHERMANN “DILLA” THOMAS

Century Award

It was also at that library that I learned that the Chicago Union Stockyard, founded on Christmas Day in 1865, was one of the reasons we were able to feed the troops because we invented meatpacking.

Shermann “Dilla” Thomas’s remarks are a love letter to the city and a reminder that “everything dope about America comes from Chicago.”

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RICK

Arts Award

In accepting the award, Rick Bayless highlighted the importance of cuisine in telling stories about communities—and the role his local library played in helping him find his voice.

Without having had that opportunity to be part of a library culture, I’m not sure I would have ever gotten to where I am today.

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TONY KUSHNER

Carl Sandburg Literary Award

Tony Kushner, 2022 Carl Sandburg Literary Award honoree, was joined by Scott Simon for an inspiring conversation on his works, during which he shares an homage to libraries.

The local library was a sanctuary for me, a haven for me. “ ”

GUESTS OF HONOR

MAYOR, CITY OF CHICAGO Honorary Co-Chair

Tonight is a special celebration for the Chicago Public Library Foundation.

I also want to recognize the CPL community for everything that they do, day in and day out, making sure that every patron who steps into the branches feels welcome at the Library.

AMY ESHLEMAN

FIRST LADY, CITY OF CHICAGO Honorary Co-Chair

BOB WISLOW

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair

These Awards are now an international brand, and we can’t thank you enough for your generous support. Your passion for our mission and love of this event has fueled the creativity to make this happen.

LORI LIGHTFOOT

Tonight’s theme is particularly fitting, as CPL is boldly launching new initiatives that will bolster our current programs and create unprecedented access for Chicagoans of all ages.

FRANCIA E. HARRINGTON

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Event Co-Chair

Tonight’s honorees are exemplary storytellers who have told stories about communities, neighborhoods, and people – through theater, food, and digital arts.

LINDA JOHNSON RICE

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair

Through your leadership of this event, and in our civic community, you have opened the door for more people to learn about our work and share our pride in all that Chicago Public Library makes possible.

ANDRÉS ORDÓÑEZ

CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Event Co-Chair

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U.S. CEO, BMO FINANCIAL GROUP, CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, BOARD OF DIRECTORS Vice-Chair

This is an unprecedented time for expanded access in our city’s Library. As the Foundation community, WE have the extraordinary opportunity to turn that access INTO ACCELERATION. What we’re able to create in Chicago goes well beyond our city for the greater good of the entire Library sector.

At BMO, we know that a bold, forward-looking, and responsive public Library is key to strong communities.

BRENDA LANGSTRAAT BUI CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION President & CEO

CHRIS BROWN CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY Commissioner

You allow us to be bold, to be excellent through programs that connect, empower, and inspire Chicagoans at every age and stage of life. We lead from the Library TOGETHER.

DAVID CASPER

MISSION MOMENTS

Your support for the Library Foundation Awards ensures that Chicago Public Library can offer unparalleled free programs and resources to Chicagoans of all ages and in every neighborhood. Thanks to you, our Library continues to have a bold impact, transforming lives and communities and reimagining what a library can be.

CLOSING THE ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITY GAP

We all have a role to play in dismantling Chicago’s inequities and supporting all our city’s children to thrive. Together, we ensure that children and families have the support they need to succeed in school and in life through programs such as Teacher in the Library homework help; Summer Learning Challenge, which keeps kids engaged in reading and learning all summer long; and ScienceConnections for helping children to explore STEM interests. And starting this school year , for the first time ever, all 330,000+ Chicago Public Schools students have free and instant access to Library resources through the new “81 Club” initiative.

ACTIVATING CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION

Everyone deserves the opportunity to express themselves, connect with others, and share their voices. Chicago Public Library invites Chicagoans from every neighborhood to come together and explore their creative interests. YOUmedia provides thousands of teens each year with the opportunity to discover arts, media, technology, and more; free-to-use equipment and workshops through Maker Lab allow us all to engage with 21st-century technology; and illuminating programs presented by One Book, One Chicago each year help us think deeply about the issues that affect our city and world.

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

With online learning, telehealth, and remote employment on the rise, internet access and digital literacy are more vital today than ever. With as many as 20% of Chicago households lacking access to an internet connection, Library programs and resources like CyberNavigators, technology tutors who provide one-on-one computer support to adults, and Chicago DigitalLearn, which helps adults build digital literacy through video-based courses, are helping increase access for Chicagoans to our increasingly online world.

Chicago Public Library Foundation Board of Directors

ROBERT A. WISLOW, CHAIR

WENDY BERGER

MARCY R. CARLIN

DAVID R. CASPER MICHAEL FASSNACHT

Officers Directors

HEATHER ALGER

MARGARET BACZKOWSKI

JODI BLOCK KATHLEEN M. BOEGE ESTHER CHOY MICHELLE L. COLLINS MONIQUE BRINSON DEMERY

ELIZABETH DONNELLY DEIRDRE C. DRAKE

JENNIFER FRIEDES

MARK GARTLAND

GRAHAM C. GRADY

JACQUELINE GRIESDORN, PH.D. SUREN GUPTA

FRANCIA E. HARRINGTON

ADAM HECKTMAN

STEVE HENDRY

DAVID F. HEROY

ADAM HOEFLICH ARCHANA KUMAR

LINDA FILLER

JOSE MARTINEZ, TREASURER BRUCE SAGAN, SECRETARY

CINDY PRITZKER, CHAIR EMERITA BRENDA LANGSTRAAT BUI, PRESIDENT & CEO

ANDREW LADD DONNA LAPIETRA ROGER LIEW BRYAN LOGAN

DANE MATHEWS CHERYL MAYBERRY MCKISSACK

TRISHA MOWBRAY

JOSEPH NIGRO ANDRÉS ORDÓÑEZ

SHEILA OWENS

LINDA JOHNSON RICE TRISHA ROONEY ANDREA SÁENZ

RODD M. SCHREIBER

MARK SPROAT

LAURENCE P. SZUMSKI CHERRYL THOMAS

WADE THOMSON

ELIZABETH TULACH MICHAEL WILSON

SUZANNE YOON

Life Directors

JOHN L. BRENNAN*

ROCCO DEGRASSE

JAMES R. DONNELLEY* PAUL H. DYKSTRA

SONDRA BERMAN EPSTEIN*

JAMES F. FELDSTEIN

MARSHALL FIELD V STANLEY M. FREEHLING*

J. IRA HARRIS* LESLIE S. HINDMAN

JAMES H. LOWRY

CARLETTE MCMULLAN

JOHN RAU

FRANK A. ROSSI

CHARLIE A. SCHROCK

MAUREEN DWYER SMITH

MARY LEE SCHNEIDER

LINDA J. STEPHANS

ELLA D. STRUBEL

AUDREY BABLES TUGGLE DIA S. WEIL

* IN MEMORIAM

Chicago Public Library Board of Directors

LINDA JOHNSON RICE, PRESIDENT

JODI BLOCK

MICHELLE T. BOONE

BARBARA BOWMAN

SANDRA DELGADO

DOMINIQUE JORDAN TURNER IVY WALKER

CHRIS BROWN, COMMISSIONER

CHRISTOPHER P. VALENTI, VICE PRESIDENT LYNN LOCKWOOD, SECRETARY

THANK YOU for celebrating the 2022 Library Foundation Awards and for joining us in making the Library’s bold impact possible!

We are deeply grateful for your commitment to the mission of building a more equitable Chicago by providing unparalleled free access to knowledge, information, and technology that helps all Chicagoans thrive. Your support transforms lives across 81 branches and 77 neighborhoods, 365 days a year.

Thank you for helping shape the Library’s story.

To celebrate our beloved Chicago Public Library, we leave you with a few behind-the-scenes photos from this year’s event. Thank you for helping to transform lives through the power of our public library.

To see how you power our Library and empower every Chicagoan, follow us at: