>> After >> nearly 5 years of construction, the Obama presidential center is now just 2 weeks away from its grand opening, the sprawling Jackson Park campus features basketball courts gardens a branch of the Chicago Public Library and an 8 story museum.

Here's former President Barack Obama talking about his vision for the center.

>> Our goal.

>> It's not to.

And just create a watching to to my presidency, but rather to it described for anybody who visits.

>> How?

>> Michelle and and so many other stood on the shoulders of those who had fought the good fight before us.

Hopefully that and then inspire.

A new generation activists.

We want them.

Go Exhibits stories of.

My presidency and this is a part of me.

This belongs to >> And here to share their reaction to the center's opening.

Are Chicago Public Library Commissioner Chris Brown and Cheryl Durst executive vice president and CEO of the International Interior Design Association.

She was also designated a changemaker by the Obama presidential center.

We're going to get into what that means that a little bit.

Welcome to you both.

Thanks for joining us.

Thanks so you know, what about the center?

Are you most looking forward to commissioner you first?

>> Well, I'm a little biased.

We 80 second branch of the Chicago Public Library.

>> And it's gorgeous.

Said future presidential reading room on top of it is the Eleanor Roosevelt Gardens.

So we'll have a partnership with them see We're really thrilled open this new first of its kind public library presidential center.

Cheryl.

>> I'm unabashed library lover.

I over the library portion.

But building itself is really a testament to the service of the Obamas.

It isn't credible art collection.

It speaks to those who access the space.

It's not an altar it is immediately accessible.

It is a testament to great storytelling.

It is a testament to words and how we use words, the power of words, the power of art and the power of place.

You know, to that point, because you've mentioned this, you know, the president also, we just heard him say it's not intended to be a monument.

You said it's it's not intended to be an altar.

>> You know, it's an 850 million dollar campus.

There's a lot happening there.

And some critics as of late have said that, you know, some has been presidential libraries have turned into that.

They turned into monuments to the former president, whoever he might be.

Commissioner, you're the library man.

What do you believe to be the function of a presidential library is why?

I think redefined.

It's not just a a collection of our cause related to the administration.

A lot of it.

>> Is space for the community.

You mentioned the incredible public art that's accessible all around the campus.

There's and incredible playspace area that is gorge is that my 3 and a half year old loves think it's incredible that when thinking about a library they put a public library forward for this community as opposed just something for the administration.

Yeah.

>> The lower level of the presidential center which often in museums and public spaces, that lower level is often forgotten.

This feels like a living room.

And it is accessible by the community.

There's a podcasting studio, a music studio, their places to work and study almost like a co-working space.

And so the word that I keep coming back to is it is so immediately accessible to visitors into the community.

>> The center is is emphasizing is that digital.

A presidential archive calling President Obama the first digital president commissioner.

How does that sort of change the way people access history as compared to traditional Well, I a lot of this material is now available online.

And so I think it's exciting to we envision like what is a lot of credit President center then?

Look, mentioned the fact that there's a public library that space and there's also the president's reading room.

So it's in our branch library, but it's 3,000 books that have been selected by the Obamas that speak to their role as readers the importance of literary art in their You know, political memoirs and also weighed their favorite vials in that space and just touches that reflect their ministry and the use of audio and video, right?

It's it's history seen through the lens of technology.

So really leveraging technology to tell their story, but also tell the story of community activism as well.

>> Cheryl, you're a featured changemaker in an interactive exhibit at the center called Imagine Your Impact.

And I was just there yesterday so that didn't see you.

But that part of the exhibit, I think it's towards the end has a feel for you to be represented there.

And and what is the the intent of part of exhibit such an incredible honor.

The Obama Foundation chose some.

35 people across the country who are enacting local change.

And that's really what what is really focused on at the Museum ordinary people.

>> Doing perhaps extraordinary things to make change in their community.

And so the area that I'm in is around inclusivity and making the profession that I represent design which often isn't seen as something that is accessible to all making design accessible to diverse communities.

Tell me more about that.

How do you do that?

Through the International to Redesign Association, we have a program called design your world targeted kids in high school.

We started in Chicago in 2020 with now spread to other cities.

But essentially it's a high school program.

I dislike the word pipeline, it's a pathways program.

Introducing kids from under-resourced areas who may have not seen their role in designer.

See design.

design is a luxury and design is a necessity for all of us.

And this is taking design as a career choice and putting it right in front of kids.

That's why we call it design your world.

So were giving kids access to design in their own neighborhoods.

And what can you tell us about what exhibit looks like?

The exhibit in the museum?

It's a series of changemakers and were all displayed on a kiosk and we're telling our personal stories about professions about our occupations, how we're bringing change to the world.

And so you can find the chaos on the 5th You gotta go to the library.

Did want to see commissioner.

There was effort earlier last year to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

This is the federal agency that funds.

>> The nations libraries are provides funding to the nation's libraries.

The Trump administration is again proposing to eliminate it in this year's budget for the ILS.

What what does it mean to you that the center is choosing to to emphasize reading and literacy this way?

>> We need to see our leaders and our, you know, are thought leaders and our civic leaders and our politicians and and our presidents promoting reading promoting culture, promoting our stories.

And so I think it means a great deal to have someone in the highest books are important.

We here in reading is important and my friends are important.

Cheryl, what does it mean to have the presidential center, especially one of this scale located on the south side of Chicago?

I think it's essential to Chicago and essential to the South side.

dries much-needed positive attention to a part of the city that doesn't always get positive attention.

>> I think it will be a show piece.

It will draw people from all over the world.

2, Chicago were already a world class city, but this is just adding adding to that aspect of Chicago.

very exciting to you you have tickets yet >> have already banned the of like going to work.

branch or you have to go multiple.

Surely the 2 of, you know, a