Obama launches Chicago trip with visit to South Side job training group

April 24--Former President Barack Obama, on a two-day visit to Chicago that began Sunday, met privately with at-risk young men on the South Side to talk about gang violence, jobs skills and employment, a spokesman said.

The meeting was with participants in a program created by Obama's longtime friend and former education secretary, Arne Duncan -- and signified a return to Obama's roots as a community organizer 30 years ago on the South Side.

"He said he grew up during that time because of the work he was doing," Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said.

Now the former president wants to solicit ideas and information on "how we can turn things around" in areas hit hard by crime.

During the discussion, Obama asked the young men to share advice on how they think gang and gun violence can be reduced in Chicago, Lewis said.

Duncan, a former Chicago Public Schools CEO, invited Obama to visit with participants in a program called Chicago CRED, which stands for Create Real Economic Destiny.

It serves young people from the Roseland and Pullman neighborhoods, where Obama at age 25 cut his teeth as a community organizer.

The behind-closed-doors meeting at the Youth Peace Center of Roseland, 420 W. 111th St., was not publicized in advance and was not open to the press.

After the meeting, Lewis provided highlights of what took place to reporters. Obama, he said, "listened to the young men's stories and shared some of the challenges that he faced growing up."

The men told Obama they think programs such as CRED, more investment in education and having life coaches in schools, and role models in the community would make a difference, Lewis said.

They envisioned the life coaches as people with whom they could build relationships so they "feel they have someone who cares about them," the spokesman said.

Obama said he was optimistic about the young men's potential to "positively contribute to their communities and support their families because of the services provided in the program," Lewis said.

In turn, the participants said the program already was having an impact on their lives, and they said they hoped to curb gang crime in their communities, the spokesman said.

Duncan started CRED to give some of the most at-risk men aged 18 to 25 workforce training and to match them with job opportunities, Lewis said. He created the pilot program through his work under the Emerson Collective, which was founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Steve Jobs.

According to Lewis, the former president and former first lady Michelle Obama plan to continue work with groups such as CRED through the Obama Foundation, which is building the future Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park. It is slated to open in 2021.

The former first couple plans to partner with the private sector, nonprofits and governmental entities to tackle violence, poverty and unemployment in communities around the country, Lewis said.

The 55-year-old Obama will stay at his Kenwood home Sunday night before his public appearance Monday at 11 a.m. at the University of Chicago before hundreds of young people at an event that is being billed as a "Conversation on Civic Engagement."

He is to moderate a discussion with about six young leaders from Chicago-area colleges and universities, in what represents his first major event since leaving office Jan. 20.

More than 300 students from several schools have been invited, Lewis said. No seats are available to the general public for the event, which will take place in the university's Logan Center for the Arts.

Obama is expected to depart the city after the estimated hourlong event, Lewis said.

The U. of C. announced it will live stream the event.

kskiba@tribpub.com

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