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More than two years after Illinois lawmakers mandated a new committee to steer Chicago Public Schools’ efforts to improve the outcomes and experiences of Black students, the school board announced a partial list of its members Wednesday.
Jitu Brown and Michilla Blaise, the West Side board members who will lead the new group, helped select its members from a pool of 500 applicants. The committee will help oversee the rollout of the district’s Black Student Success Plan, a five-year initiative that has come under fire from the Trump administration.
Delays in forming the committee have frustrated some student advocates and supporters of the plan. Brown told Chalkbeat last summer that he would announce the members that September. The district later opened a more formal application process in late 2025 and then reopened it in January. At the board’s June meeting, Brown blamed the more recent delays on internal “struggle.”
On Wednesday, Blaise thanked community members for their patience and said the wait paid off in a careful, thorough screening process and strong applicant pool.
“We’re watching every step we make just because the whole world is watching us,” she said. “There are so many people and so many other places that are really hopeful for the work that we do here.”
The committee members are:
- Darius Anderson, a community organizer and culinary arts professional
- Alyssa Blanchard, a CPS special education case manager
- Amber Brooks, an operations and organizational leadership executive
- Karen Calloway, the principal at Kenwood Academy
- Jemia Cunningham-Elder, the CEO of North Lawndale College Prep
- Crystal Gardner, a West Side community organizer
- Aquila Griffin-Ingram, a workforce analytics and compensation leader
- Valerie Leonard, a community leader and founder of the nonprofit Utopia
- Ayoka Noelle Mota Samuels, senior leader at City Colleges of Chicago
- Chanise Stephens, a CPS educator, parent, and activist
“These individuals represent a diverse mix of stakeholders from across Chicago,” Brown said. “Each one brings a deep commitment to racial justice, public education, and the success of Black students.”
Four additional members will be announced soon as they complete required district onboarding, board members said.
Mila Koumpilova is Chalkbeat Chicago’s senior reporter covering Chicago Public Schools. Contact Mila at mkoumpilova@chalkbeat.org.
