In a one-on-one interview at the Economic Club of Chicago on Thursday, Mayor Brandon Johnson laid out his plans for leading the city. He also announced that he planned to run for reelection in 2027.
Johnson, who was elected mayor in April, sat down with ECC chairman Sean Connolly and discussed his strategy for improving the lives of Chicagoans.
Johnson said the best way to help the city succeed is to focus on young people.
“Every time you give a young person an opportunity to see themselves and know their worth and value, that is the best public safety plan,” Johnson said.
The mayor followed by saying that hiring young people to work should be an immediate first step.
“Twenty-four thousand young people were working this summer,” Johnson said. “People in Chicago are hungry for opportunities.”
The long-term focus should be on making those jobs permanent, he said.
And when asked how the business community could help, Johnson said it could do so by lending its expertise and by investing in young people.
“We need your expertise, we need you to look out for young people,” he said.
