- [Obama] You know, I do this every once in a while;
call in to some folks in the community
who are doing outstanding work
just to express my appreciation.
Between The Silver Room and
what you've been doing in Hyde Park
and in the surrounding area, you know,
you're, uh, you're making things happen.
Congratulations.
- [Eric] Thank you, thank you.
I'm trying to just do what I can do, you know.
- My name is Eric Williams and I'm a business owner
on the south side of Chicago.
- The Silver Room, I can describe it as the intersection
of arts and culture, fashion, music, entrepreneurship.
- We sell T-shirts and jewelry and sunglasses
and hats and bags, but the cultural side
of it was also important.
- I had tons of friends who were visual artists, poets
writers, and I wanted to have a space that they
could call their home, too.
Daytime we're selling things; at night, we have these events.
Silver Room Sound System block party.
It's one of, one of the best events in the city
of Chicago.
Started about 17 years ago, really in,
in a response to the lack of diversity and some
of the other events around the city.
45,000 people came to our last event,
so people love it; they've embraced it.
And I think it goes back to our mantra
of trying to be inclusive.
- [Obama] So tell me about how this year has been.
- Obviously, small business people have been
significantly affected.
- [Eric] You know, cause we, we been open for 23 years,
so we have a pretty large community of people.
- So for me, it was really important
that we still kept that, you know in a virtual space.
- Let's make sure it's not just
about trying to sell people things,
but about trying build community.
So moving forward, I feel really good about the future.
- [Obama] Well, I think that's a great lesson.
(instrumental music playing)
- [Eric} As a business owner its super important
for me to create opportunity in our community.
When I moved to Bronzeville, you know,
I just thought it was important that
we build something on our own.
So we found this space.
I knew right away what I wanted to do.
I wanted to have a place that I can walk to
in my neighborhood and get some good food,
you know, have a drink; hear some good music
and not have to go to another community.
So my goal is to open up the wine bar the end of summer.
I think about the impact it can have.
Maybe there's a young woman who lives
in a neighborhood who wants to be a chef.
And so now she can have a chance to,
you know, to to work here.
- [Obama] Our whole goal is to use the Presidential Center
to leverage all the resources that are coming in,
starting from the construction process,
through the opening and the hundreds of thousands
of visitors that will be coming through it each year
to make sure that all the smaller businesses
in the community are directly benefiting,
are linked up, and that we're going to be
in a position where we can help you guys grow
and identify needs and, and provide the support
that's going to be necessary to continue to
build that social trust across the board.
- [Eric] I'm excited about the impact that the
Obama Presidential Center can have on the south side
of Chicago.
To have folks come to a part of the city
that they sometimes don't come to.
And then what happens when they leave?
They might stop at a restaurant.
They might stop in Hyde Park.
I think about how can we as small business owners
be a part of this?
Not to mention the number of jobs that it creates
for people who live in a community.
I'm looking forward to being a part of it.
(muffled chattering)
- [Obama] What's going on, man? How are you?
(crowd muffled)
- [Eric] So I think right now is an opportune time to
use these next four years to really engage.
These are the people that will actually
be the best ambassadors.
If you could engage them right now (indistinct)
- [Obama] Part of the reason that Michelle and I wanted to
locate our museum here. You know this is home, right?
And we want to make sure that whatever resources
we're bringing to bear and programming
we're bringing bear benefits the folks who
have put roots down here and invested here.
- [Eric] As a resident and business owner
on the south side of Chicago,
I want our community to thrive.
I want this place to be able to become all it's
supposed to be.
We deserve everything that, that's offered to us
to anybody else.
(casual music)
- [Eric] I was going to bring you my receipts
from traveling to Ohio during your 2008 campaign.
- [Obama] You should come!
- [Eric] I said a lot of gas money.
(muffled chatter)
- [Obama] If you still got them!
If you still got them!
- [Eric] Every weekend! Every weekend!
- [Obama] You'll get reimbursed.
- [Eric] It was worth every single mile.
- [Obama] All right
(piano plays softly)