DAY 9

We spent most of the day interviewing people in Chicago’s Millennium Park where we encountered a mix of locals and visitors. We had hoped to schedule an interview with Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. during our trip to Chicago and had been discussing arrangements with his press secretary for several weeks; however, because the congressman’s schedule changes frequently, often at a moment’s notice, we did not know whether he would be in Chicago or Washington D.C. on this particular day. We had just made plans to meet our cousins for dinner when we got the call: the congressman would be available to meet with us late this evening. We were pleased to have this interview, as Rep. Jackson has been active in initiating legislation concerning voters’ rights and the electoral process. We were particularly grateful that he took time from his busy travel schedule to meet with us during an emergency trip scheduled for other purposes.