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Bears name Dr. Janice K. Jackson winner of Inspire Change Changemaker Award

Story by Gabby Hajduk

"You have the whole city behind you."

Dr. Janice K. Jackson often shares that motto with the students at Hope Chicago, who reside in the south or west sides of the city and are striving to experience education after high school.

As CEO of Hope Chicago — a scholarship-focused organization designed to support the postsecondary education of students and families — Jackson also takes the motto personally.

Jackson grew up in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood on the city's south side and didn't always believe that sentiment to be true. But it's what has kept her motivated through her 22-year Chicago Public Schools career and, now, the early stages of her work with Hope Chicago.

Helping flip that narrative and provide once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for Hope Chicago students and their families is just what earned Jackson the Bears' 2024 Inspire Change Changemaker Award — an NFL initiative that recognizes an individual in each team's market who makes a difference in their community with social justice work.

For Hope Chicago, that work includes reducing economic and social inequity by funding postsecondary scholarships and non-tuition costs for Chicago Public Schools graduates and their adult family members eager to return to school.

Jackson was surprised with the honor by nickel back Kyler Gordon — who represented Hope through My Cause My Cleats — at Halas Hall last Friday. She had tears in her eyes as she reflected on the award's connection to Hope Chicago's motto.

"We use that motto because our students come from the south and the west sides of Chicago. I grew up on the south side and sometimes it doesn't feel like the whole city is with you or for you," Jackson said. "We tell them that. When we go out and get corporate sponsors — especially people that they root for and care about — to support them, it's just the kind of relationship that I think is going to make our city strong.

"That's where the emotion is coming from. I'm a Chicago girl. I'm Chicago versus everybody. This is a big honor and I'm just really happy the Bears have stepped up to support our kids."

Jackson will be honored at the Bears' Inspire Change game Dec. 26 at Soldier Field and receive a $10,000 grant from the NFL Foundation, paid directly to a non-profit organization of her choice, which will be Hope Chicago. The donation will go toward supporting Hope Chicago's goal of providing life-changing educational opportunities for students and families in the city.

"Dr. Jackson embodies the spirit of the Inspire Change Changemaker Award through her dedication to education, equity and community empowerment," Bears EVP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Chief Impact Officer Tanesha Wade said. "Her work with Hope Chicago is a testament to the profound impact just one leader can have on the lives of countless families. By creating pathways to higher education and workforce development opportunities, she is not only transforming individual futures but uplifting entire communities. We're proud to recognize her as our Changemaker, not just because of what she's accomplished, but because of the legacy she's building for future generations in Chicago."

Jackson's selection as the Bears' Changemaker is a culmination of both the team's support of Hope Chicago and her own journey of improving the futures of the city's youth.

Jackson and Hope Chicago first connected with Bears in the non-profit's early stages in 2021 through Bears Care director Marge Hamm, who was extremely interested in Hope Chicago's mission to provide debt-free college and workforce opportunities to both students and parents. Their focus on economic mobility through two generations was innovative and exciting. Hamm and the Bears took time to learn more about the organization's approach and their success has led to Bears Care supporting Hope Chicago for a second year.

In 2023, Bears Care gifted Hope Chicago a $200,000 donation. The club made an identical donation this year at Hope's annual fundraising gala, where Gordon surprised the crowd with the announcement — a moment Jackson called "the highlight of the event."

The Bears have also hosted different groups of Hope Chicago students at Halas Hall for various events, including a career expo and practice viewing opportunities.

"I've been blown away by the Bears' commitment to Hope Chicago and the students here in our city," Jackson said. "This was unexpected because I feel like they've already done so much. But I just really appreciate the partnership. It goes behind the financial gifts in the way that they open up access for the kids. It just means the world to me."

While Jackson is being recognized for her and Hope Chicago's efforts to drive systemic change in how low-income families access postsecondary education, her commitment to Chicago's education system goes back decades before Hope Chicago's inception.

Jackson began her career as a social studies teacher at South Shore High School, where she taught for nearly five years and became heavily involved in the school's reform space. She learned about her own leadership capabilities and developed a goal of opening a new school — a quest rooted in her desire to see problems and fix them rather than simply complain.

Her career trajectory was sharp from there.

Jackson helped open Al Raby High School on the city's west side in 2004 and served as their principal for a few years before being tasked with creating another new school in Humboldt Park. George Westinghouse College Prep — the area's first-ever selective enrollment school — opened in 2009 and Jackson took over as their principal.

Five years later, Jackson moved into the CPS administrative space and became the CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 2015-21. During her tenure, Jackson created the Great Expectations mentoring program — a pipeline designed to advance the careers of Black and Latinx CPS educational leaders — and created an Office of Equity, which made Chicago the largest city with an equity office in their school system.

Despite her accomplishments as CEO, Jackson craved that personal connection with students and their families she experienced earlier in her career.

"I feel like my identity as an educator is most closely tied with being a principal," Jackson said. "I was a principal for 11 years. I tell people I've had a lot of great jobs, but that's the best job I've ever had because it was the right nexus of policy and leadership, but also you're around kids and families every day. With that said, I went on to senior leadership at CPS. I wouldn't change it, because I care about the city and the district, and it was an honor to serve.

"But coming to Hope actually got me back to what I love which is, I'm doing something big. We are trying to push up on state policy around higher education, but I also get to be more closely connected to students and families, which is something that I missed."

Jackson's dedication to Chicago's public school system mostly stems from her childhood experiences. Growing up in what Jackson calls a "tough community," she recognized her advantage of being raised by parents who both valued education and opportunity. Whether it was after school programs, field trips or mentorship, Jackson and her four siblings were involved.

"My parents prioritized and pushed education hard, and they also worked hard," Jackson said. "I watched them experience the "American Dream," if you want to call it that. My father was a cab driver, my mother worked at the same company as a dispatcher. They eventually opened their own business and ran it for over 20 years. They worked their way up from working in that industry to owning and having one of the more successful businesses on the south side. That happened all while raising five kids. So my belief that education is the best way to disrupt generational poverty comes from my own background."

Seeing and experiencing educational and professional opportunities as a kid in Chicago is still a motivator for Jackson. She wants every young student to have that access regardless of factors outside their control such as income, community or family background.

With Hope Chicago, Jackson is actively breaking those barriers down. She used to feel as though there was always a catch to something positive. There were always exclusions or people trying to discount her. Jackson prides Hope Chicago on not having a hook and being able to meet families where they are.

"It's rare that people go above and beyond to really remove every barrier to just see what's gonna happen," Jackson said. "And you gotta be willing to take that risk. So the people that have supported Hope, our founders and companies like the Bears, they're willing to take that risk with us and that's something that I appreciate because a lot of people don't wanna bet on our kids, if we're just being honest. But if we really want Chicago to be better, we gotta work with everybody."

While Jackson will be honored as the Changemaker this year, she is accepting the award on behalf of Hope Chicago as a whole, from their founders to their staff to their students.

With her face still a little sore from smiling so much last Friday, Jackson is eager to share the grant with Hope Chicago and continue to change lives throughout the city.

"It's nice to be recognized, but this award, it's not for me," Jackson said. "It's for Hope Chicago and the work that we're doing. I have an incredible team that gets this done. And to be recognized by your own — your city, a group as iconic as the Bears — I mean, it feels real good. I don't know what else to say. It just feels really good."