AND THERE'S MUCH MORE AHEAD
INCLUDING OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS
TEAM AND THEIR TAKE ON TODAY'S
CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
>> FIRST, A NEW TAKE ON A
CLASSIC PIECE OF LITERATURE.
THE JOFFREY BALLET IS FOCUSING
ON JOHN STEINBECK'S "OF MICE AND
MEN" IT IS A STORY THAT ENDS IN
TRAGEDY BUT THE ARTISTS HOPE TO
HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF
FRIENDSHIP.
ARTS CORRESPONDENT, ANGEL IDOWU
HAS THE STORY.
>> I GUESS IT'S FEELING.
YOU KNOW AND MUSIC IS FEELING AT
ITS BEST.
>> AMONG THOSE FEELINGS SITS
SMALL BITS OF UNCERTAINTY FOR
COMPOSER THOMAS NEWMAN AS HE
TAKES ON THE ROLE COMPOSING
MUSIC FOR THE JOFFREY BALLET'S
"OF MICE AND MEN".
>> THIS NARRATIVE BALLET WHICH I
NEVER PONDERED WHAT IS IT TO
TELL A STORY WITH MUSIC AND BODY
MOVEMENT AND WHAT IS NECESSARY
IN MUSIC TO TELL THE STORY.
>> IT WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH
CHOREOGRAPHER CATHY MARSTON THEY
FOUND THEMSELVES MINDING THE
INTERPRETATIONS BY AUTHOR JOHN
STEINBECK.
THIS STORY BEGINS AT THE END.
>> DOUBLE GEORGE SO THEY ARE TWO
GEORGES ONE WHO IS THE ONE
REMEMBERING AND WISHING HE COULD
CHANGE WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND THEN THERE'S THE GEORGE THAT
IS LIVING WHAT HAPPENED.
THE CHALLENGE WAS TO MAKE THAT
READABLE IN DANCE.
BUT YOU CAN DO IT IN DANCE WHERE
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO IT
INrd WORDS N DANCE YOU CAN
SAY MULTIPLE THINGS AT THE SAME
TIME AND WORDS IT'S ONE THING AT
A TIME.
>> XAVIER NUNEZ WHO PLAYS GEORGE
SAYS THROUGH MARCH TON'S
MOVEMENT HE CONVEYED A MESSAGE
FROM THE BOOK.
>> WHAT I TOOK AWAY WAS THE
TRAGEDY AND THIS TIME AROUND
IT'S BEEN MORE ABOUT THE
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GEORGE AND
LENNY AND THE FACT THAT GEORGE
IS HIS CARETAKER MIGHT FEEL HE
HAS A BURDEN BUT IN THE END HE
LIKE STILL DOESN'T GIVE UP ON
LENNY.
HE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WITH
LENNY.
HE STICKS WITH HIM.
WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN THE END,
BUT I DO BELIEVE IT'S OUT OF
LOVE.
>> WHEN ASKED HOW HE FELT HIS
STYLE HAD BEEN CONVEYED IN THIS
ADAPTATION, NEWMAN RECALLS ONE
OF THE FAVORITE MOMENTS IN THE
BALLET.
>> MOMENTS I FEEL LIKE I'M
EXPRESSING SOMETHING THAT HAS
DRAMATIC ACUITY AND GETS
SOMEPLACE OR ADVANCES DRAMA IT
IS AN EXCITING FEELING.
MUSIC JUST DELIGHTS ME.
THE ENVIRONMENT OF IT.
THE WHIMSY OF IT OF WORKING WITH
MUSICIANS AND DANCERS IT'S
REMARKABLE.
>> THE SCENE IS CALLED FAT OF
THE LAND LENNY AND GEORGE'S WISH
FOR A HOME.
I LIKE THAT THEME.
I LIKE HOW IT ROLLS FORWARD.
AND THAT IT HAS TENDERNESS AND A
SENSE OF ROLLING FORWARD.
>> IT'S THIS MOMENTUM THAT
MARSTON SAYS ALLOWED HER TO
PROPEL THE STORY'S TAKEAWAY, THE
VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP.
>> THE END WHICH IS THE TRIO
BETWEEN THE TWO GEORGES OF LENNY
ONE SIDE OF GEORGE WANTS TO SAVE
HIS FRIEND BY KILLING HIM.
AND THE OTHER SIDE WANTS TO SAVE
HIS FRIEND BY NOT KILLING HIM.
THAT DREADFUL DILEMMA THAT WAS
THE EMOTIONAL CLIMAX OF THE
BALLET AND THE STORY.
I PUSHED THOMAS TO BREAK MY
HEART EVEN MORE.
>> SEEING ALL THE LONELY
ALIENATED CHARACTERS AND SEEING
THE CONNECTION BETWEEN LENNY AND
GEORGE THE STORY IS
HEARTBREAKING BUT THE
RELATIONSHIP IS HEARTWARMING AND
I HOPE PEOPLE GO AWAY WITH BOTH
OF THOSE FEELINGS ALIVE FEELING
WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN AND
PERHAPS FEELING A LITTLE BIT
MORE EMPATHETIC.
>> FOR "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M
ANGEL IDOWU.
>> AND "OF MICE AND MEN"
PREMIERS TONIGHT AT LYRIC OPERA
AND RUNS THROUGH MAY 8.
>> STILL TO COME ON "CHICAGO
TONIGHT", COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR
FAMILIES AND ITS IMPACT ON EARLY
CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.
A PEDIATRIC SURGEON WEIGHS IN.
>> AND A CITY EMPLOYEE HIRED BY
JIM GARDINER IS ACCUSED OF
ILLEGALLY SELLING A MACHINE GUN
WHILE ON THE JOB.
OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ON
THAT AND MORE.
>> BUT FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S
TOP STORIES...
>> MORE THAN 90,000 CHICAGOANS
APPLIED TO BE PART OF THE INCOME
PILOT PROGRAM DURING THE FIRST
24 HOURS OF APPLICATIONS BEING
OPENED.
THE MAYOR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL
INCLUDED 31 MILLION TO SEND
5,000 CHICAGO FAMILIES $500 A
MONTH FOR A YEAR.
TO BE ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS MUST
LIVE IN CHICAGO BE 18 YEARS OLD,
HAVE EXPERIENCED HARDSHIP DUE TO
THE PANDEMIC AND LIVE IN A
HOUSEHOLD THAT EARNS NO MORE
THAN 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY
LEVEL.
APPLICATIONS CLOSE MAY 13TH.
COOK COUNTY HAS LAUNCHED A CASH
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BIGGER THAN
THE CITY'S AT $42 MILLION.
YOU CAN READ MORE OF WHAT THE
MAYOR HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE
CITY'S PROGRAM ON OUR WEBSITE.
>> EFFORTS TO STILL THE STATE'S
TEACHER SHORTAGE ARE GETTING
ANOTHER BOOST THIS WEEK.
>> AS WE LOOK FORWARD, WE MUST
CONTINUE TO ROOT OUR EFFORTS TO
STRENGTHEN THE TEACHING
PROFESSION AND EQUITY BECAUSE
NOT ALL SCHOOLS AND NOT ALL
STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING
TEACHER STAFFING ISSUES IN THE
SAME WAY.
WE MUST CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON
STRENGTHENING THE PIPELINE FOR
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND BILINGUAL
EDUCATION.
SUPPORTING EQUITABLE FUNDING FOR
OUR SCHOOLS WITH THE FEWEST
RESOURCES.
AND BUILDING LOCAL PIPELINES OF
TALENT AND HIGH NEED AREAS.
>> GOVERNOR PRITZKER SIGNED.
>> LAW A SERIES OF BILLS AIMED
AT ADDRESSING THE TEACHER
SHORTAGE THEY INCLUDE REDUCING
THE PENALTY FEE TO REINSTATE A
LAPSED TEACHING LICENSE FROM
$500 TO $50 WHICH SUPPORTERS SAY
WOULD ALLOW RETIRED TEACHERS TO
RENEW AND RETURN TO CLASSROOMS.
ANOTHER ALLOWS CURRENTLY
ENROLLED TEAMING STUDENTS TO GET
A SUBSTITUTE TEACHING LICENSE.
ONE OF THE BILLS ALLOWS
SHORT-TERM SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
TO SPEND 15 DAYS IN THE SAME
CLASSROOM INSTEAD OF THE FIVE
DAYS.
AND A FOURTH BILL REDUCE MINIMUM
AGE FROM 19 TO 18 YEARS OLD.
ILLINOIS STATE POLICE SAY IT'S
INSTALLING MORE AUTOMATED
LICENSE PLATE READERS ON CHICAGO
AREA EXPRESSWAYS TO AID IN
INVESTIGATIONS AND ARRESTS IN
COOK COUNTY.
IN THIS SECOND PHASE OF A $12
MILLION GRANT, THE 56 LICENSE
PLATE READERS ARE GOING UP ON
INTERSTATES 90, 290, 55 AND 57.
ISP SAYS THERE ARE ALREADY 99
COVERING THE DAN RYAN EXPRESS
WAKES.
AS OF LAST WEEK THERE WERE 55
EXPRESSWAY SHOOTINGS REPORTED IN
COOK COUNTY DOWN FROM 66 DURING
THIS SAME TIME PERIOD IN 2021.
>> A PATCHWORK CHILDCARE SYSTEM,
AND STRESSED PARENTS A BOOK
ARGUES THE MODEL OF RAISING
CHILDREN IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST
FOR KIDS' BRAIN DEVELOP MANY.
THE AUTHOR WRITES SOCIETY SHOULD
GIVE ALL PARENTS MORE TIME AND
TOOLS TO OPTIMIZE THE GROWTH OF
YOUNG MINDS.
THE BOOK IS CALLED "PARENT
NATION" UNLOOKING EVERY CHILD'S
POTENTIAL FULFILLING SOCIETY'S
PROMISE AND WE ARE JOINED BY THE
AUTHOR Dr. DANA SUSKIND THE
FOUNDER AND CODIRECTOR OF TMW
CENTER FOR EARLY LEARNING AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO AND A
PEDIATRIC SURGEON.
WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO
TONIGHT" THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME.
>> HOW DID YOU GET FROM THE WORK
THAT DO YOU AT TMW CENTER AND
WRITING 30 MILLION WORDS TO
WRITING THIS BOOK, PARENT
NATION?
>> IT WAS VERY MUCH A NATURAL
EXTENSION.
30 MILLION WORDS BY FIRST BOOK
EXPLORED THROUGH THE LENS OF
LANGUAGE HOW EARLY BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT OCCURS AND HOW
POWERFUL PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS
ARE FOR BUILDING A CHILD'S
BRAIN.
I WROTE THIS BOOK HOPING SEEING
THE PARENTS EMBRACED IT AND
HOPING SOCIETY WOULD TAKE NOTICE
AND PROVIDE BETTER SUPPORT FOR
FAMILIES.
BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THIS BOOK TAKES THE SAME BRAIN
SCIENCE AND INSTEAD OF SAYING
WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO AT THE
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL BROADENS THE
LENS AND SAYS IF WE KNOW ALL
THIS TO BE TRUE WHAT CHILDREN
NEED TO HAVE HEALTHY BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT AND WHAT PARENTS
NEED IN TERMS OF SUPPORT WHAT
DOES A SOCIETY LOOK LIKE THAT IS
CENTERED ON CHILDREN AND
FAMILIES AND THEIR HEALTHY
DEVELOPMENT.
>> AND YOU WRITE THAT IDEA THAT
NOTION OF SORT OF CENTRALIZING
HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT FOR
CHILDREN SHOULD BE A NORTH STAR
THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING
TOWARDS WHAT SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS
EXIST WITHIN SOCIETY THAT CREATE
THE OBSTACLES FOR PARENTS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF
ANYTHING COVID SHINED A LIGHT
JUST ON HOW BROKEN OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE OF SUPPORT FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ARE TODAY.
OBVIOUSLY FAMILIES FROM LOW
INCOME BACKGROUNDS WOULD MAKE IT
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PARENT.
I SAY ALMOST EVERY PARENT I'VE
SPOKEN TO, PARENTS ESPECIALLY OF
YOUNG CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING IN
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
BECAUSE WE ALMOST INVEST NOTHING
IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPACE AND
IT NEEDS TO CHANGE.
>> TO THAT POINT, YOU WRITE
ABOUT HOW IN THE 60s, 1968 WAS
A PIVOTAL TIME WITH THE COUNTRY
FOR THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN,
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, MADE LOTS OF
ADVANCEMENTS DID NOT HAPPEN FOR
PARENTS.
IT ALMOST DID AND YOU WRITE
ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
HOW IS RIGHT NOW TWO YEARS INTO
THE PANDEMIC, THE RIGHT TIME FOR
YOUR BOOK AND FOR SOCIETY TO
RETHINK THE SUPPORTS THAT
PARENTS HAVE?
>> YEAH, NO DOUBT WE ARE AT A
CROSSROADS.
AS I MENTIONED, COVID SHINED A
LIGHT.
WE HAVE ALL WOKEN UP TO THE FACT
THAT NONE OF US PARENT ALONE.
ONLY PARENTS PARENT THEIR
CHILDREN BUT WE DON'T DO IT IN A
VACUUM.
AND SOCIETAL AND COMMUNITY AND
EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS ARE CRITICAL
TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.
THIS MOMENT IN TIME IS NOT NOW
WHEN?
BUT WE NEED TO PUSH FORWARD AND
GET UNSTUCK BECAUSE CHANGE NEEDS
TO HAPPEN.
>> HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THIS
NOTION OF AMERICAN NOTION OF
INDIVIDUALITY AND FREEDOM OF
CHOICE TO MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES
OF COURSE AS PARENTS BUT HOW
DOES THAT IMPACT THE SUPPORT
THAT PARENTS THAT YOU WRITE
PARENTS NEED?
>> YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW IN THIS
COUNTRY, THE IDEA OF PARENTAL
CHOICE IS SACK ROW SAINT AS IT
SHOULD BE.
PARENTS DESERVE THE CHOICE IN
HOW THEY WANT TO RAISE THEIR
CHILDREN.
IN THIS COUNTRY WE GIVE PARENTS
NO CHOICE WHETHER THEY WANT TO
STAY HOME OR WHETHER THEY WANT
TO WORK OUR SOCIETAL STRUCTURES
HAVE MADE IT AN IMPOSSIBILITY SO
OFTEN FOR PARENTS TO PARENT THE
WAY THEY WANT.
AND THIS IS A --
WE ARE A REAL OUTLIER.
ALMOST ANY OTHER COUNTRY THE
FACT THAT HAS MORE SOCIETAL
INVESTMENT IN FAMILIES AND
CHILDREN.
THE FACT WE DON'T HAVE PAID
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE, I
THINK AS OPPOSED TO 38 DEVELOPED
NATIONS IS THE BEST INDICATORS
THAT WE DON'T INVEST.
>> WHAT ARE SUPPORTS THAT OTHER
COUNTRIES HAVE, YOU MENTIONED
PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE WHAT
ARE OTHER SUPPORTS THAT OTHER
COUNTRIES HAVE THAT WE DON'T?
>> OTHER THAN PAID FAMILY
MEDICAL LEAVE, HIGH QUALITY
AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, IN OTHER
COUNTRIES THE AVERAGE OF NUMBER
OF DEVELOPED NATIONS IS ABOUT
14,000 DOLLARS INVESTED PER YEAR
IN CHILDCARE FOR TODDLERS.
THIS IS NOT EVEN NORWAY WHICH IS
29,000.
IN OUR COUNTRY WE COME IN AT
$500 PER YEAR.
WE DON'T INVEST IN THOSE EARLY
YEARS.
THERE ARE I CAN GO ON AND ON.
BUT AT EVERY POINT WE HAVE VERY
LITTLE INVESTMENT.
>> AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO
MAKE THESE INVESTMENTS IF
PARENTS GET THIS SUPPORT?
BECAUSE SOME MIGHT SAY YOU GET
THE CHILDCARE YOU CAN AFFORD WHY
IS IT IMPORTANT FOR THIS
INVESTMENT?
>> WELL IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TODAY
AND FOR TOMORROW.
SO ANCHORING ON CHILDREN, THE
CHILDREN OF TODAY THEY ARE
HEALTHY BRAIN DEVELOPMENT THEIR
HEALTHY DEVELOPMENT IS NOT ONLY
IMPORTANT FOR THEM INDIVIDUALLY
BUT OUR SOCIETY IS GOING TO BE
MADE OF THESE CHILDREN WHO ARE
GOING TO BE THE CITIZENS WHO
CONTINUE ON THE OUR PATH.
BUT EVEN FOR TODAY IT'S CLEAR
THAT THE LACK OF HIGH QUALITY
CHILDCARE, THE LACK OF PAID
PARENTAL LEAVE RESULTED IN
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON OUR
ECONOMY.
THE GREAT RESIGNATION IS WOMEN
LEADING THE WAY CHILDCARE IS A
HUGE ISSUE.
THE LACK OF HIGH QUALITY
CHILDCARE.
I COULD GO ON.
FERTILITY RATES ARE FALLING.
WE ARE NOT REPLACING OURSELVES.
BECAUSE OF THE LACK ONE OF THE
MAJOR REASONS IS THE LACK OF
SOCIETAL SUPPORT FOR YOUNG
FAMILIES.
SO IF WE WANT OUR CIVILIZATION
TO GO ON WE NEED TO INVEST.
>> DANA HOW DOES YOUR PERSON
STORY FACTOR INTO THIS BOOK?
>> WELL THERE'S THE STORY OF ME
AS A PHYSICIAN AND WANTING TO DO
RIGHT BY ALL MY CHILDREN AND MY
FAMILIES THAT I CARE FOR.
AND JUST SEEING THAT YOU CAN BE
A PHYSICIAN AND TAKE CARE OF
FAMILIES, BUT WHEN SOCIETY MAKES
IT SO HARD ON PARENTS TO DO WHAT
THEY ALL WANT TO DO, IT IS YOUR
CALLING AS A PHYSICIAN TO
CONTINUE ON THAT JOURNEY.
FOR ME AS A MOTHER AND A
CONCERNED CITIZEN AND SOMEONE
WHO HAS DEALT WITH SEEING HOW
DIFFICULT LOSS CAN BE.
I LOST MY FIRST HUSBAND WHEN MY
CHILD WERE RELATIVELY YOUNG.
AND SEEING HOW IMPORTANT
COMMUNITY AND SOCIETAL SUPPORT
IS TO ALLOW ALL OF US TO PARENT
THE WAY WE ALL WANT TO PARENT
HELPED SORT OF PUSH ME FORWARD
IN WRITING THIS BOOK AS WELL.
>> YOU ALSO PROVIDE RESOURCES IN
THIS BOOK FOR PARENTS IF THEY
WANT TO RISE UP AND ASK FOR
SOMETHING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WELL, I SAY PARENT NATION IS A
LOVE LETTER TO PARENTS TO GIVE
THEMSELVES GRACE.
BUT I ALSO ONE OF MY HOPES AND
DREAMS FROM THIS BOOK AND THE
IDEAS IN THE BOOK IS THAT THEY
WILL NOT ONLY SEE THAT NONE OF
US PARENT ALONE BUT THAT WE HAVE
MORE IN COMMON THAN WE REALIZE.
AND WHAT IS PUT OUT IN THE
MEDIA.
THE LOVE OF OUR CHILDREN AND
WANTING THE BEST FOR OUR
CHILDREN IT IS A UNIVERSAL.
IF WE FIND THAT IS THE
COMMONALITY AND COME TONIGHT AND
START ALIGNING OUR SOCIETAL
VALUES WITH WHAT WE DO IT CAN BE
A GAME-CHANGER.
ON OUR WEBSITE OF PARENT
NATION.ORG THERE ARE
DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES TO ALLOW
GROUPS OF PARENTS TO COME
TOGETHER AND MAKE CHANGE IN
THEIR COMMUNITY OR JUST FIND
COMMUNITY.