Obama Foundation to hold inaugural event with Chance the Rapper, Gloria Estefan

The Obama Foundation announced Friday that Grammy-winning artist Chance the Rapper will perform at its inaugural summit next month. 

Chance the Rapper will perform alongside Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan and the indie rock band The National on Nov. 1 in Chicago “in an event that inspires individuals to see themselves as change agents and celebrates civic engagement,” according to the announcement.

The event will also be livestreamed.

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The summit is a first for the Obama Foundation, which former President Barack Obama announced earlier this year as one of his first public acts after he left office.

“The Obama Foundation’s goal is to encourage and empower young people to create positive change in their communities,” said Obama Foundation CEO David Simas in a statement.

The rapper, a native of Chicago, attended a state dinner at the White House last year, during the final days of the Obama administration. His father, Kenneth Bennett, previously served as deputy assistant to Obama and worked as Obama’s state director while he was a senator from Illinois and during his presidential campaign.

“I want to help inspire and empower young people to change their world, just like the Obama Foundation,” he said in an email sent out by the foundation. “That’s what this Summit is all about — bringing together change makers from around the world to celebrate what we’ve done so far, and recommit to taking on the greatest challenges of our time.”

Former first lady Michelle Obama honored Chance, whose real name is Chancelor Johnathan Bennett, at the BET Awards in June, where he won the Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic work. 

“Chance is showing our young people that they matter, that they have something inside of them that is worthy of being expressed, and they have so much to contribute to their community and our country,” the former first lady said in a surprise video statement at the ceremony. 

Obama awarded Estefan and her husband, Emilio Estefan, both of whom are multi Grammy-winning artists, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 for their contributions to American music.