Joshua Boggioni, Attorney, Hinkhouse Williams Walsh LLP

"Through volunteer work in the community and with students and teachers in Chicago, I have had the opportunity to work with and get to know Jessica and Nina. In my opinion, Jessica and Nina are precisely the type of community-based leaders we need at this moment. They know how to successfully communicate with their audience, be it professionals in the public or private sector, students, teachers, or volunteers. Their professionalism, passion, and tenacity make them an extremely effective team, able to inspire people from seemingly dissimilar backgrounds and points of view toward a common set of goals.

My personal experience with Jessica and Nina has primarily centered around work with students and teachers located in under-served parts of Chicago. I’ve witnessed their unyielding commitment to providing those who often feel forgotten or powerless with the tools to become empowered, engaged, and responsible members of their communities. They have also demonstrated their ability to work with both educators and non-educators, such as attorneys and police officers, to help them have meaningful and productive encounters and connections with the youth of this City, about which perceptions are too often based on preconceived notions fueled by negative news. Through years of hard work and many successes and setbacks along the way, Jessica and Nina’s resolute commitment to the community has never wavered and seems to only grow stronger. Our City is a better place because of them and their work, and I look forward to supporting them for many years to come."