Obama Presidential Center highlights anti-racism pledge in job listings ahead of opening

The Obama Presidential Center is hiring for about 150 roles and its careers pages emphasize a commitment to being an "anti-racist" organization; the center is scheduled to open in June.

The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago is accepting job applications as it prepares to open on the South Side in June. The foundation’s careers pages and some job descriptions emphasize a commitment to anti-racism and equity. The listings describe a range of roles and say the organization seeks staff who share those values. Applications are reported as open through Jan. 31. What is reported: - The foundation is recruiting roughly 150 positions, from custodians to visitor-facing roles described as "ambassadors of hope." - The careers page and several job descriptions state the organization is "deeply committed to creating an actively anti-racist organization" and to addressing systemic racism and inequity. - Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to the Obama Foundation about hiring processes and whether noncitizens can apply, and did not immediately receive a reply. - The center is scheduled to include a presidential library, a museum, an auditorium, a Chicago Public Library branch, a garden and athletic facilities on a roughly 20-acre campus. - The building’s design has drawn public criticism, and Deputy Director Kim Patterson told CBS News the design choices were intentional to protect artwork and to symbolize collective action. Summary: The foundation’s public hiring materials highlight its stated anti-racism and equity commitments while recruiting staff ahead of the center’s planned June opening. Applications are reported as open through Jan. 31, and the foundation did not immediately respond to inquiries about hiring procedures. Undetermined at this time.