Chicago Sun-Times

Welcoming Obama Center

- Greg Mooney, president and executive director, Comer Education Campus Ayoka Mota Samuels, center director, Gary Comer Youth Center

It is with immense enthusiasm that the Comer Education Campus, located in Greater Grand Crossing, welcomes the future Obama Presidenti­al Center to the South Side.

For the past 12 years, the Comer Education Campus has provided a dynamic environmen­t and mission dedicated to developing the full potential, talent and skill of youth and young adults. With a similar vision, the OPC will create incredible opportunit­ies for youth and young adults, both locally and beyond. True to his word, President Obama has wasted no time in engaging community residents and partners in this mission.

We feel the OPC represents an extraordin­ary and historic opportunit­y for Chicago: a chance to build a presidenti­al museum and public gathering space that will celebrate and study our nation’s first African-American president and first lady.

The OPC will be an incredible enhancemen­t to Jackson Park, setting this Chicago gem on an internatio­nal stage, while activating a portion of the park that is often underutili­zed. In addition, the Obama Foundation will bring enormous investment to the South Side and economic opportunit­ies our communitie­s deserve.

After an inaugural Obama Foundation event we hosted this past fall, longtime Comer member Breana Brown reflected, “President Obama and Mrs. Obama are working closely to help empower us to be the voice and change for our communitie­s. This gives us hope.”

Together, great progress will continue to be made in Chicago. We are proud to support the Obama Presidenti­al Center, as we already witness the source of inspiratio­n and opportunit­y it represents for our young people and hundreds more across the city and beyond.

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