By Melissa Conyears-Ervin · Published: November 17, 2025

In recent weeks, my team at the Chicago treasurer’s office and I worked tirelessly to craft our budget for City Council review. This work was conducted amid the backdrop of our federal government waging a campaign of terror against our residents and taxpayers.

I believe we have a responsibility to use every lawful tool at our disposal to push back on what they are doing. At the treasurer’s office, that tool is our investment portfolio. The dollars we invest can either quietly support that behavior or send a clear message that Chicago will not bankroll its own abuse.

Before my budget presentation on Wednesday, I informed City Council members that I would boycott the purchase of United States Treasury securities and seek their authority to grant me freedoms to modify the portfolio of the nearly $11 billion of Chicago taxpayer money the office manages.

This boycott and divestment plan is simple and targeted. First, we immediately stop making new, direct purchases of U.S. Treasury marketable securities. Second, with approval from the City Council, we will explore reducing our indirect exposure by adjusting our holdings in money market funds and other instruments that derive their value from Treasurys.

That’s it. 

This is a temporary, lawful portfolio adjustment that meets our three core objectives as managers of taxpayer funds: safety, liquidity and competitive returns for the taxpayer.

The city of Chicago will not invest in a federal administration that is using the power of government to terrorize us. Federal agents in our neighborhoods pepper-spraying a 1-year-old, dragging a teacher out of a day care in front of toddlers and drawing guns on our citizens are what brought about this response.

What is happening is not normal, and pretending it is will not age well in the history books. Our constituents will remember who stood up when it mattered and who didn’t.

When I rolled out my plan, I was met with hysteria from a few members of the council and some members of the media. They sounded more concerned about aggravating Donald Trump than using every tool we have to stop his U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from waging war on our citizens.

Read or listen to the whole article here.

Read or listen to the whole article here!

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS: Chicago, IL – Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Chicago City Treasurer

Read the whole article here!

ESSENCE: Chicago, IL – The Chicago Sky, home to many legends, including the inevitable Angel Reese, just triple-dunked when the foundation congregated last week by providing the keys to economic freedom amongst an audience full of women business owners. Though no WNBA ballers were present, the foundation showed true sportsmanship by uplifting the Chicago community with a team of four women leaders who embraced future entrepreneurs willing to provide for their community. 

Former NBA player, veteran WNBA coach, and executive director for the Chicago Sky, Awvee Storey, praised the intentionality behind pouring into the league and small women-owned organizations since taking over the program almost a year ago. 

“These ladies humble the hell out of me, and understanding the importance of what they do on the court and what you do in the community, he expressed.” 

Storey highlighted the foundation’s key pillars: economic development, health and wellness, youth education, and women’s empowerment. By doing so, the Chicago Sky Foundation welcomed prospective leaders to enjoy an evening dedicated to exponential growth and womanhood. 

Moderator and ABC News anchor, Jasmine Minor, affirmed to the group that they “make up the fabric of the city.” The Emmy award-winning journalist complimented the eight cohorts and the remaining audience, stating their businesses provide advocacy for change in the community. She directed everyone to repeat, “I am proud of me,” as a reminder of the intentionality each woman poured into their establishments.

BIPOC Women Leaders Breaking Barriers In Nontraditional Circumstances

Minor introduced panelists Anna Valencia, Nicole Lee, and Melissa Conyears-Ervin. The three powerhouses provide communal and economic value to Chicago’s residents. Valencia is the second woman to hold the position of City Clerk. Lee is the first Chinese-American woman to serve as the 11th District Alderman. Conyears-Ervin is an Englewood-born and Westside-raised native who climbed the corporate ladder that now serves as Chicago City Treasurer. Each woman solidified their stance in politics by breaking barriers, optimizing their expertise, and contributing to society. Valencia was inspired by civic engagement as a college graduate during Obama’s first presidential campaign. She got involved in the campaign since Obama sparked her interest in electing the first African American president. Despite being a helpful force to change our democracy, she noticed a lack of women leaders as she climbed the political ecosystem. 

“I saw less and less women in the room. I said, ‘That has to stop,’ she expressed to the group.”

Conyears-Ervin’s dedication to serve Chicagoans is “rooted in purpose.” Raised by a single mother, her core values were fighting for the “underdog.” Though growing up in a predominantly Black, marginalized neighborhoods, Conyears-Ervin’s nonlinear path gained her a seat in local government. She rejoices in her position in public service; however, understands the complexities of being a woman leader.  

“We don’t know the energy that we feed off of one another, because we’re all going through the same thing,” she said. “What motivates me is you. My adoration for women is through the ceiling, because I know each and every day what you go through.”

Read the whole ESSENCE article here!

WINDY CITY TIMES: Chicago, IL – Photos on this page by Ronit Bezalel. See full story coverage by Jake Wittich at https://windycitytimes.com/2025/06/29/chicago-pride-parade-puts-community-first-in-54th-annual-celebration/ and much more photo coverage on related pages.

CHICAGO DEFENDER: Chicago, IL – A celebration and community recognition event is planned for Cook County’s Juneteenth IL 2025, which takes place Saturday, June 14, as a part of “Juneteenth Illinois,” an initiative commemorating the official June 19 date. This year’s conference is titled “Getting to the Heart of the Matter” and marks the 5th annual celebration of Juneteenth by the county since it became an official holiday in December 2020.

Co-founded by the late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer (2nd District), Juneteenth Illinois continues under the leadership of its Executive Director, Barbara Deer.   Juneteenth Illinois is a collaboration between Cook County Board Commissioners Bill Lowry (3rd District), Stanley Moore (4th District), Tara Stamps (1st District), and  Michael Scott, Jr. (2nd District); Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon, Sen. Lakesia Collins (State Senator 5th District), Rep. Yolonda Morris (State Representative 9th District), Rep. Jawaharial Williams (State Representative 10th District),  Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. (State Representative 33rd District), Alderwoman Monique Scott (24th Ward); Cook County Juneteenth Joint Planning Committee, State of Illinois and the City of Chicago.

Day-long activities include breakfast, a memorial tribute to the late Cook County Commissioner Dennis Deer, panel discussions, a blood drive, a resource fair, senior Bingo, a pre-Father’s Day gesture and the Juneteenth Scholarship Reception. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Malcolm X College at 1900 W. Jackson Boulevard, Chicago.

Mayor Brandon Johnson will speak at the Juneteenth Scholarship Reception, 2– 4 p.m., where $10,000 in scholarships will be awarded to students. The scholarships will be given to ten newly selected students, and additional money will be given to returning students. The program includes a showcase of youth leadership in the arts with African dance, a drumline, soulful music, the annual “Divine 9 roll call”, and great food.

All-access to Juneteenth Illinois 2025 panels and activities is FREE to the public, although pre-registration is strongly encouraged for this popular event.

“Every year, we look forward to engaging and educating citizens about the work and progress being made in this city and county, that is centered around justice, health and wellness, education and generational wealth building. It is important that we share updates on the work people are doing,” said Executive Director Barbara Deer. “Our goal is to continue building community and Black joy.”

For more info, schedule and honorees, click here!

OURSPORTS CENTRAL: Chicago, IL – In celebration of National Small Business Week, the Chicago Sky Foundation announced today the 2025 Women’s Small Business Cohort Pitch Competition – a groundbreaking initiative exclusively for women entrepreneurs.

Learn more here!

CHICAGO DEFENDER — On a cool, overcast Saturday morning filled with promise and intention, hundreds gathered on 75th and King Drive to do more than just shop—they descended upon this historic South Side corridor for a singular purpose: to spark a movement.

The “Spend in the Black” event, spearheaded by Rev. Dr. Charlie Dates and Ald. William Hall (6th), was a showcase for Black entrepreneurship and economic self-determination. With more than 100 vendors, hourly $1,000 giveaways, and a surge of community pride, the block pulsed with energy and activity. The aim: encourage consumers to spend their money with the viable Black businesses that already exist in the city.

“This is the single greatest concentration of Black businesses in a single corridor on a single day,” Rev. Dr. Dates told The Chicago Defender. “If you love people and you care about those on the margins, come here today and spend some money that will go a long way.”

Read the whole article here!

CHICAGO (WLS) — There was a push on Saturday to transform 75th Street into a “Black Wall Street.”

Spend in the Black is a national movement, simply encouraging people to shop at Black-owned businesses over Easter weekend.

Ald. William Hall, who represents the 6th Ward, and Dr. Charlie Dates, the pastor of Progressive and Salem Baptist churches, are leading the movement locally.

“We can literally see a half a million to $1 million spent between three blocks. These are some of the best businesses in the city of Chicago. We just want people to know about the secret on 75th Street,” Hall said.

The two say so many businesses wanted to participate that they had to build a waitlist.

“This is about resurrecting the Black dollar. So rather than being in the red, we are spending in the Black,” Dates said.

More than 100 businesses were set up on Saturday at 75th and King Drive, showcasing their goods and services. The event ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“We need to understand that when we begin to invest in Black-owned businesses, we begin to build generational wealth for our community,” said City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin.

Read the whole article here!

CHICAGO DEFENDER: Chicago, IL – The battle over affordable housing has raged for decades in Chicago, where Black and Brown communities have long been disadvantaged and caught in the middle. Public housing, with its complicated history of promise and neglect, is no exception.

Now, a new chapter begins—on the 57th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, less than five miles from the North Lawndale apartment where the civil rights leader lived while fighting housing discrimination in the city.

On the Near West Side, a project nearly 20 years in the making has finally come to life. The National Public Housing Museum, located at 919 S. Ada Street in the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes, officially opened its doors Friday. It is the first cultural institution in the country dedicated to telling the story of public housing through the voices of those who lived it.

The museum uplifts the lives and legacies of public housing residents—sharing their hopes and aspirations alongside their struggles.

Read the whole article here!