Christ the King Partnering with Chicago Community Trust and Leadership Greater Chicago to host “On the Table”

The 2015 Leadership of Greater Chicago Fellows hosted ten conversations around the city as part of the Chicago Community Trust’s region-wide On the Table initiative to identify needs in communities and take action to make Chicago stronger and safer.

Through guided questions and student suggestions, the students will discussed major social issues, while continuing the conversations on social media using the hashtag #onthetable2015. The purpose of the event is to get a sense of what communities around Chicago believe are the most important issues, and then use this information to promote action on a policy level.

This year’s theme of “Generosity,” brought high school students from across Chicago, including Cristo Rey Jesuit and Fenwick High School together in small groups to discuss topics and issues that they believe are most important to their communities. In addition, faculty and staff from each school served as moderators during the conversations, helping students foster a forum for productive and provocative discussion.

Youth on the Table provided students from across the city an opportunity to add their voice to the discussion about the opportunities and challenges facing Chicago" said CTK President Clement Martin. "They shared many creative visions about the future of our city. At Christ the King, we were happy to host students from several different Catholic high schools, allowing students to meet new people, engage in meaningful conversations, and learn from one another."

“On the Table is a chance for Chicago residents, particularly youth, to impact decision-making and policy from the ground up, rather than top-down decision-making,” said Christ the King Program Coordinator, Sowmya Sastri. “It’s also a great opportunity for students from different backgrounds and to come together to discuss issues that are impacting the larger West Side community.”