Oprah's Stealth Philanthropy in Chicago
by Natalie Moore | WBEZ 91.5
Chicago and Oprah Winfrey go hand-in-hand.
She built a TV empire here, and there’s no doubt that the media mogul has been a booster for the Windy City.
Oprah lovers make the pilgrimage to her studio, contributing to tourism with dining and hotel stays along the way.
But her legacy is bigger than an economic engine to Chicago.
Oprah's philanthropic legacy in Chicago is vast, but under the radar.
There aren’t that many places or things named after Oprah in Chicago, but one of them’s going to last a long time. I’m looking for it in downtown Chicago’s Millennium Park, a showpiece on Michigan Avenue. Here it is Oprah Winfrey name in all caps on a wall. It lists the founders of this enormous park.
Oprah gave a million dollars of her own money to make this park happen, but that’s a fraction of her largesse.
The exact figures for Oprah’s philanthropic impact in Chicago are hard to pinpoint, but one person with some insight on the big picture – is former mayor Richard M. Daley.
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