httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be37-T72DNk
The Chicago-bred rapper, whose full name is Chancelor Bennett, announced in a news conference Monday that he would be donating $1 million to the Chicago Public School system.
“As a CPS graduate, Chance has shown Chicago students not only the heights they can achieve but the generosity they can share,” school district spokesperson Emily Bittner said in a statement.
“Today, I’m proud to announce that I am donating $1 million to CPS to support arts and enrichment programming,” Chance said in the news conference at Westcott Elementary School on the South Side of Chicago.
Last month, school officials announced they would freeze $46 million in spending after Rauner vetoed a $215 million funding bill that schools were relying on.
“Gov. Rauner’s actions cement a racially biased funding system that is also the worst in the country for children living in poverty,” Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool said in a press release at the time.
Just over a week later, the Chicago Board of Education and five families of Chicago students brought a lawsuit against the state of Illinois, alleging it prioritizes state funding for schools outside Chicago based on race.
When asked about the steps the governor has taken, Chance said it was Rauner’s responsibility to ensure children of Chicago receive a quality education.
Chance the Rapper also encouraged companies in Chicago and around the country to donate to Chicago schools, calling his contribution “a call to action.”
In addition to the $1 million, Chance announced that for every $100,000 raised, SocialWorks, a nonprofit organization the rapper co-founded, would donate $10,000, starting with Westcott Elementary School.