ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ and WVON Partner to Host Historic Chicago Board of Education Presidential Candidates Forum
ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½â€™s Student Center in the South Loop.CHICAGO (October 22, 2026) —ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½, in partnership with , will host a on Thursday, Oct. 22, featuring three candidates seeking to become Chicago Board of Education's first elected president. Broadcast from the college’s studio from 6 to 7 p.m., the forum will give Chicago voters an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates about their priorities and vision for the future of Chicago Public Schools (CPS).
“Nearly 30% of our students come to ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ from Chicago Public Schools, so the future of public education is especially meaningful to our campus community,” said Shantay N. Bolton, PhD, president and CEO of ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½. “Our students are the next generation of artists, storytellers, and creative leaders, and we want them to understand the importance of having a voice in their communities. Hosting this forum with WVON allows us to put civic engagement into practice while helping Chicagoans make informed decisions about the future of our public schools.”
Moderated by Rufus Williams, host of “The WVON Morning Show” and former president of the Chicago Board of Education, the hour-long forum will feature three candidates:
- Victor P. Henderson, a Chicago trial attorney and former president of the Chicago Bar Association.
- Jessica Biggs, a current Chicago Board of Education member, former CPS teacher and principal, and CPS parent.
- Hilario Dominguez, a former CPS special education teacher, Chicago Teachers Union political coordinator, and community organizer.
The informational forum, rather than a traditional debate, will allow candidates to discuss their experience, educational priorities and vision for Chicago's public schools ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
The partnership brings together two longstanding Chicago institutions committed to civic engagement and community dialogue. By hosting the forum in its television studio, ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ is putting its creative resources to work to support an important conversation about the future of public education.
The event will be livestreamed and available through WVON's broadcast channels. Due to space restrictions, it will not be open for in-person public attendance.
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About ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½: Creative Careers Start Here.
A destination for innovators for more than 135 years and located in the heart of downtown Chicago’s Cultural Mile, is a private, non-profit school for creatives that offers a distinctive curriculum that blends creative and media arts, liberal arts, and business in 40 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ students graduate career-ready, with creative and critical thinking skills, real-world problem-solving abilities, standout bodies of work, and industry connections to fuel their professional journeys and the creative economy. Find ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½ on social media at @ÌÇÐÄ´«Ã½Chi on and, on and on.
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Michelle Aiello
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