Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, has expressed concerns over the number of young Black men in Chicago who are out of school and unemployed. He called for increased resources for Hope Academy and advocated for school choice. His statement was made on the social media platform X.
“Half of young black men in Chicago are neither working nor in school,” said Cortes. “A recipe for disaster. Hope Academy is the answer! But they need resources.”
Reports have highlighted that young Black men in Chicago face significant challenges related to education and employment. According to the 2025 State of Black Chicago report and analysis by A Better Chicago, these challenges include underfunded schools, lack of job access, and systemic inequities. These conditions have reportedly left many young Black men disconnected from opportunities, prompting calls for stronger pipelines linking education to careers.
The Great Cities Institute reported in 2023 that more than 78% of Black youth in Chicago aged 16–19 were jobless, compared with 74.2% of Latino peers and 73.8% of white peers. The report also found that 14.3% of Black individuals aged 16-19 were both out of school and out of work—over four times the rate for white youth—highlighting a severe equity gap.
Chicago Hope Academy has reported that 95 upperclassmen joined a new trades program, with eight seniors moving directly into union apprenticeships while the remainder pursued college on scholarships. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, this initiative demonstrates how school choice and vocational pathways can expand opportunities for underserved youth.
Cortes is not only the Founder and President of the League of American Workers but also serves as a senior political advisor to CatholicVote. He is a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance and has been a commentator for Fox News and CNN. Cortes regularly releases documentaries and columns at cortesinvestigates.com.
